Deathwalkers
by CII
Summary: Kiryuu Knight, former president of the UNSCDF lands on an abandoned mining outpost.  Why was it abandoned?  Kiryuu finds out the truth.  Sequel to BDM's Pandora story.
1. Prologue

Author's Note: I don't normally do notes unless it is important. If you have not read the Mechagodzilla series, the G-Chaser Series, or the Extended Universe aka the Halo Different stories series which involves Halo, then you will be confused. I do not suggest you start reading this story unless you have read those stories first. Mechagodzilla and Extended Universe (Halo Different) because this story is basically the sequel to Halo 3 Times as Different and it details what happens to Kiryuu Knight at the end of that story. The Mechagodzilla X Series and the Extended Universe can be found on my page, the G-Chaser Series can be found on BDM's page and he is listed in my favorite authors for you to go to.

**Aykeruseytìranyu: Deathwalkers**

**Prologue: Coming out of the Dream**

_Kiryuu…Kiryuu…_

His mind was locked in a constant flux. The voice constantly called out to him.

_Grandfather, help us!_

He did not know where or when he was anymore.

"Kiryuu, don't look at me that way!"

He focused on that familiar voice, his voice—or rather the man who's voice was sampled to create his voice. Gordon Knight. Gordon was supposed to be dead. Gordon did die. King Ghidorah killed him.

"Run some more tests on him," said Gordon over to another familiar face.

Will Penter. Will was also dead. He died several centuries ago.

_Kiryuu…we're loosing you…wake up!_

"I just don't understand it," said Will. "Kiryuu, you're gonna hate me for saying this, but I think you need to sit this fight out."

"Fight?" Kiryuu asked.

"Yeah," said Will. "There's some movement going on in Mexico. A monster has been reported there and the Mexican government wants us to send you out to find out what it is. I think you need to stay here."

"As much as I hate his pompous company, I agree," said Gordon.

"No…" Kiryuu rumbled.

_Kiryuu!_

Kiryuu growled, his head thrown back at the cry of the voice. He knew that voice. That voice, above all the voices in the room, seemed more real to him.

"Don't argue with me, tin can," said Gordon.

Kiryuu relaxed as he felt his restraints tighten around him. He was held in place by the body arms of the hangar. There was nothing he could do to move.

"I am sure my systems are running at optimum efficiency, Will," Kiryuu began, feigning a note of confidence. "If there is a monster to be dealt with, then I need to be on the scene as soon as possible."

"Sorry, pal," said Will. "There's some sort of glitch in your internal relay. Can't let you out there just yet. I'll start the scanning right away, Gordon."

_Scanning…_Kiryuu thought. Normally, scanning his systems for any sort of malfunction was a good thing on his part. However, nothing seemed right here. He did not trust Will—or whoever this person was that resembled Will. "There is no need, Will. I will be happy to run the scan myself. I'm sure you are weary and need a nice coffee break."

"Nah, I'll do it, pal," said Will.

"And hurry it up," said Gordon. "I'll be in my office."

"Sure, Gordon," said Will. He watched as the aging billionaire walked out of the control room. Then, he turned back to Kiryuu. "Okay, here we go, Kiryuu. Starting up scan."

"Will, please," Kiryuu said. "I can handle it."

"You're a little moody today, Kiryuu," said Will. "I might have to adjust your emotion circuits as well."

That statement shocked Kiryuu. The only time Will had ever something similar to that was the months of his activation after he faced Godzilla for the first time. Something was indeed not right with Will or with this whole scene. Kiryuu growled just as he heard Will's hands typed on the computer. There was not going to be any adjusting or scanning today.

"I'm sorry, Will," he rumbled.

"What did you say, pal?" Will asked. Then, a surge of electricity came through the keyboard and zapped into his fingers. Will faltered and fell backwards. Sirens sounded in the launching bay. Kiryuu grunted as he forced the body arms open with his strength. Will slowly got up, dazed from the shock of the keyboard. He wearily looked out the bay window to Kiryuu, who was freeing himself. Kiryuu finally forced the arms open.

"Gordon," Will called, his hand on the communication button. "Gordon, Kiryuu's going rampant again!"

"I'm coming down there," said Gordon over the speaker. Just as he returned to the control room, he found Kiryuu almost freed from his binds. "Maybe it's high time I shut that moronic Tonka Toy down for good."

Kiryuu growled at that statement. He knew Gordon Knight. There were many times when Gordon did threaten to shut Kiryuu down, but he could never bring himself to it. He would then cool down and tell Kiryuu that he always thought of him as a son. To Gordon, Kiryuu was practically family. But this Gordon had a resolute tone in his voice something that the Gordon he knew from long ago never had. There was no doubt about it; this Gordon was going to shut him down. This Gordon was a fake.

A wash of memories came back to him. Kiryuu pointed his head to the doors of the launch bay and opened his mouth. Inside, a purple light began to form as the air swirled around him and suddenly became searing hot. Gordon and Will backed away, feeling the intense heat grow throughout the bay. Then, Kiryuu unleashed the heat in the form of a powerful, purple-white beam from his mouth. The beam blasted through the doors.

He remembered how to fire his plasma ray. Kiryuu remembered that in 2006, he barely even had the knowledge to use it. He only used it that one time against Titanosaurus. It was only in 2007 during the fight against King Ghidorah that he recalled how to fire it, albeit a bit clumsily. It was something his son made fun of him for. But the memory of how to fire that ray suddenly told Kiryuu that this world was not real at all either.

Kiryuu revved up his gravity generators and bounded out of the launch bay.

"Stop him!" he heard Gordon cry.

Kiryuu took off for the sky before Gordon could utter another word. As soon as he found himself in a fluffy, low cloudbank, Kiryuu hovered. He felt like he was gasping for air.

_Did you think you could escape me?_

Kiryuu swung around at the sound of that voice inside his head. He knew it very well. The voice was like a cold, static charge into his processors. His golden eyes narrowed.

_We are here…Kiryuu…it's time for you to awaken…_

_**1345 Hours, August 2, 2553 (Military Calendar)/Location Unknown**_

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**MGSystem **Reboot system Mechagodzilla X OS. Mechagodzilla AI online. Checking for errors. No errors found. Time and date correct. Location…location…need more data input to determine location.

First, a solitary, blue, glowing eye opened up to the strange world. Then, its brother followed. They looked around, capturing the sites. Rain fell about him, splattering little droplets. They slowly rolled down the smooth, metallic surface of his helm. His fingers slowly wiggled to life, followed by his toes and then his tail. He felt something snap beneath him as he tried to move his back. It was a branch. His eyes focused on the gray, cloudy sky above. A canopy of trees, strange, tall, alien trees sheltered the ground, but not where he fell. He saw that his impact had made a hole in the canopy. Limbs of the trees were broken by his fall.

_We're loosing you, Grandfather…_

_Loosing me?_ He thought. _They lost me._

"Chief," he began as he slowly rose up. "Cortana?"

Kiryuu finally came to his senses. His metallic claws felt the dirt around him. This world was real, unlike the dream he was in. He turned his head to find some olive green crates marked UNSC on the sides strewn out beside him. Then, he looked over to the other side and noticed something peculiar. His Technomantic queue was still active. Cyan and blue glowing, energy-like cords flowed out from the base of his head to the ground. Normally when a Technomancer was not accessing the Array, the cords would be retracted into his head. Why were Kiryuu's cords out?

Kiryuu sighed and snapped off the helm, freeing up his other cords, the ones that grew from his head like green dreadlocks. He looked at the cyan cord bundle and attempted to command it to retract into his head. The cords would not obey. He reached out and grabbed them, feeling their warmth. They pulsated with energy, the light riding up from the ends of the cords into his mind. Kiryuu suddenly realized that information began to flow into his processors at an alarming rate. He was not prepared to take in new data. His CPU began to cycle through the information, filing it swiftly as it came in into folders in which he would then open and view later. Kiryuu grabbed the cord and tugged hard, finding it tightly attached to a root of a tree. That did not seem right. His cords were attached to a tree and the tree was uploading data into him. With one grunt, Kiryuu finally pulled himself free of the exposed root. He fell backwards onto his dorsal spines. The cords' glow dimmed slightly, signaling they were no longer transmitting data.

_A tree was feeding me information?_ Kiryuu asked.

He rose to his feet, taking note that he was still in his smaller size. Kiryuu kept himself close to 9 feet tall as a way to walk around the human world conveniently. His fall did not cancel out his _Mass Displacement_ spell. He glanced down once more at the blue cords. Again, they would not retreat back into his skull. Something about this planet was keeping them from receding into his head. Kiryuu could not worry about that now, he had to get his bearings. He took note that the crates were in fact weapons and ammunition crate. He approached one and punched a hole through it. With one powerful pull of his claw, he tore the crate open, revealing the weapons inside. There were several assault rifles, a shotgun, a sniper gun, a pistol with a site, and a rocket launcher. As much as he wanted to take the rocket launcher, he knew that it was better to carry weapons that had more ammunition. Kiryuu reached in and took a utility belt, filling it with bullets for the sniper rifle, the assault riffle and the pistol. He swung the sniper over his shoulder while he carried the assault in his arm and placed the pistol on his hip. Conserving his own weapons was his priority.

Kiryuu knew of stealth. This was a tactic he had always known ever since he was once just an ordinary dinosaur. His species relied on stealth to hunt. Though he knew that he stuck out like a sore thumb with all of the metal against the jungle. However, it did not matter to him. He could take down anything that dared enough to try and kill him.

One thing he had to figure out was where he was. What planet was this? It did seem somewhat familiar to him. He swore he had seen the foliage before in photographs. As he made his way through the forest, he began to file away all the information he managed to download from that tree. The tree had memories stored within it of the beings who walked passed it. And it shared that information with the tree beside it, and so on and so on. Kiryuu was able to read from that tree's images of what other trees 'saw'. These images depicted blue-colored, tall, gaunt, but finely toned humanoids hunting through the forest. Once more he was struck with a familiar notion that he had seen them before.

As he continued to make his way, Kiryuu took an account of the quality of air that surrounded him. His own sensors collected the data on the air molecules around him.

**MGSystem **Analyzing data. Analysis complete. Atmosphere contains carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen, methane, and hydrogen sulfide. Caution, air is 20% denser than Earth's. Movement may be compromised. Gravity is 20% lower than Earth's. Searching for matches to all UNSC colonies with this combination.

Kiryuu knew that this planet was special in a way. He glanced up to the sky again, and sighed. The clouds obscured his vision. One thing he wanted to see was the sky. The sky could tell him everything, even in daylight.

**MGSystem **Detecting UNSC satellites in orbit around planet.

_However, there appears to be an electromagnetic disturbance around the area that seems to be interfering with my systems, _Kiryuu thought. _I cannot make contact with the satellites. There is no way this could be a permanent colony planet. Not with the toxic combination in the atmosphere._

Though the gravity was much less than that of Earth, the denser air did make his movements much slower. He almost felt like he was walking through a heavy wind. Luckily, Kiryuu did not need to breathe and his body could adjust to the harsh toxins of the air. He had a feeling that any human that lived on this planet needed special gear in order to survive it.

Kiryuu's eyes lit up when his internal systems picked up a location.

**MGSystem** Detecting Earth-owned colony. 20 kilometers due east of current position.

_That's all I needed to know, _Kiryuu thought, thanking his internal systems. Though he could very easily gather where he was from the stars or perhaps any visible moons stored in his database, he knew that the human colony would give him far better answers. Perhaps, there were humans on the colony. He would be able to notify Lord Hood and HICOM and tell them that he was all right. He had a feeling Terrance Hood was concerned.

There was something else he was concerned about as he darted his way through the forest. He wanted to know just how he was separated from the Master Chief and Cortana. The last he knew he was on the aft section of the _Forward Unto Dawn_, shutting down to conserve energy while the Chief went into cryo-stasis. Now, even the Chief and Cortana were lost. He remembered the last words he heard from Cortana. She had awoke him to inform him of what she learned while she was in the control system on Halo 04. He learned everything about the Forerunners and the origins of the Flood as well as King Ghidorah and how he came to this galaxy. He recorded everything, downloading it from her systems. Unlike Cortana's systems, Kiryuu's data storage was massive. It had to be so he could fit 500 years of memories into his units. His systems were always kept up to date with the latest in technology for computers and AI, but however, not once did those updates foul up his independence or his sentiency. He was advanced 500 years ago, and he still is advanced today.

Kiryuu paused and looked up. He had no time to wonder through the forest. He needed to get to that outpost. Revving up his generators, the biomechanical dinosaur launched into the air. Though the low gravity made it easy for him to leap into the sky, the dense atmosphere was a bit taxing to his thrusters. A NAV point was already set to where the colony was located. He could not take a moment to look around at the scenery below him. He did take notice of the purple-blue, four-winged, reptilian creatures flying above the trees. He kept an eye on each of them, making sure they did not attempt to attack him. So far, they seemed to ignore him.

Suddenly, the flock of reptile-birds separated. His HUD picked up movement from above. A horrible wailing sound echoed from above Kiryuu as an enormous shadow slowly covered him. Kiryuu swung around to find a reptile-bird in brightly colored orange and yellow dive down with claws outstretched. It was ready to snatch him out of the sky. With a grunt, Kiryuu banked off before the claws could clasp his shoulders. He pulled his assault rifle out and fired on the bird. However, the bird's hide was tough and the bullets ricocheted off of it. The bird bellowed again and Kiryuu flipped down just before it could make another grab for him. Then, he shot up to the bird, slamming his claws into its breast. His biosyntech bladed tentacles came out from the creases of his forearm plates. They whipped about slashing the enormous bird's wings off. The bird kicked Kiryuu in the stomach just as the two began to plummet towards the forest canopy below. However, before the impact, Kiryuu separated from the bird, his syntech blades slicing through its neck. Its ichors splashed upon his silvery armor just as it began to crash through the branches. Kiryuu hovered over the canopy and watched as the giant bird slammed onto the ground. His upper lip curled into a feral snarl. Then, his processors snapped back into the moment. The outpost. He must get to the outpost. Kiryuu banked again, following his NAV point.

0

The attack did not go unnoticed. A lone _ikran makto_ was doing some scouting that day until he came across the strange silver creature that could fly without wings. Then, he saw the _toruk_ dive for the creature. The creature was able to swiftly get out of the way and then attack the _toruk._ After that, with strange vines coming from its body, the creature sliced off the wings of the _toruk _and let it plummet. The warrior took note though that the creature did use weapons that the _tawtute _(skypeople)used. He heard about the _tawtute_ and how _Toruk Makto _chased them away. _Toruk Makto _was once _tawtute _himself and became a _Uniltìranyu _(dreamwalker)in order to walk among the Na'vi and learn of their ways. Now he is Olo'eytkan of the Omaticaya Clan.

This new creature was something else. He never recalled in the stories that the _tawtute _were silver, nor did he recall they had tails. This was a pit of information he had to give to the Olo'eytkan. The rider sounded his call and commanded his _ikran _to bank for New Hometree.

Upon arriving, he sounded his call to the others, gathering their attention. He swung his leg over and dismounted his _ikran_, detaching his braid from its antennae.

"Olo'eytkan!" he called. "Olo'eytkan! I must speak with the Olo'eytkan!"

The other members of the Omaticaya Clan whooped and hollered just as a middle-aged Na'vi female descended the branched stairs, followed by her mate.

"Ngati kameie, Olo'eytukan," he said.

"What have you to report, makto?" the Olo'eytkan asked.

"I saw it!" he gasped. "I saw it. It was silver, it flew without wings. It had a head that looked like a _palulukan_, with green dreadlocks. It had a tail covered in silver metal. But it had a braid, like ours, growing from its head, but it glowed blue. It killed a _toruk _without giving thanks to Eywa. Vines with blades came out and sliced the wings off of the _toruk._ Then the creature let the _toruk _drop. No doubt _toruk _bled to death."

"Where was it heading?" asked the female beside him. She was his mate and Tsahik of the clan.

"To the place where the _tawute _used to live," he replied.

"Damn it to hell…" the Olo'eytkan swore.

"Ma Jakesully," she began. "What is wrong?"

Jake Sully turned to her and sighed: "Neyteri, I don't want to believe it, but I think I know who he's talking about. I have to know for sure. I knew that changeling was trouble when he came here! I should have killed him when I saw him. Rally the riders, we make for Hell's Gate."

"I am going with you," Neytiri said.

"No," Jake said. "Stay here and watch over the clan."

Neytiri puckered her lips in frustration and crossed her arms. Then, she sighed and nodded, realizing that he was right. One of the leaders must stay and watch over the clan. Jake called forth his _ikran _followed by several others, and they took to the sky. He had hoped that he thought was not right. He had hoped that the creature was not who he thought he was. He had to know for sure.


	2. Two Betrayals

**Two Betrayals**

Kiryuu passed a quarry. He landed in near an enormous yellow dozer and glanced around. This was a mining colony. However, it seemed the mining equipment had not seen much activity in many years. Already the equipment was rusting from the elements. Kiryuu walked over to one of the bulldozers and wiped off a spot of rust. Underneath, he could make out a familiar Aztec symbol.

"Omak Technologies and Magical Research," he said. "This equipment belongs to Malcho."

He recalled that Malcho's company headed up a lot of mining on several colonies. After all, his company helped in building ships and weapons and he needed supplies to furnish them. Kiryuu's sensors picked up a wave of magnetic fluctuations coming from his right and he leaned over to pick up what was causing it. It was a shiny rock. Kiryuu opened his mouth and stuck out his biosyntech, purple tongue, tasting a sample of the composition of the rock. It was an odd way of getting the data he needed, but it was effective.

**MGSystem **Rock identified as Unobtanium. Found in one location, a moon of Polythemus known as Pandora in the Alpha Centauri system.

Unobtanium. There was a name that was as ridiculous as a science fiction B-movie on Saturday night. It was an unoriginal name, however, the scientists who found it were too lazy to assign an official name, so it stuck. Even after 30 years when the mining project ceased on Pandora, the name was still there. This rock told him everything he needed to know about where he was. Pandora. Pandora was a moon that had life on it. It circled the blue gas giant known as Polythemus along with 13 other moons. Polythemus was roughly the size of Saturn, but oddly enough possessed no Roche rings. Its atmosphere was patterned with bands much like Jupiter and it even had an enormous super storm in the form of a giant spot on its southern hemisphere. However, this super storm was much larger than Jupiter's famous Red Spot. It resided in Alpha Centauri's Goldilocks Zone, which meant it was just right to have liquid water on its terrestrial moons. Pandora was one of these moons that possessed the right amount of liquid water to support life.

Despite the fact that Alpha Centauri was the closest star system to Earth, it was not the first choice in planetary exploration when Terrans decided to make the jump beyond their own solar system. Mostly because the planets that were in Alpha Centauri were not suitable for Earth-based life, like humans. So, Pandora for the most part was ignored. However, almost 45 years ago, human curiosity took over and explorers landed on Pandora. When they landed, they were greeted most hastily by the indigenous sentient humanoids known as the Na'vi. The Na'vi possessed an aboriginal culture and pre-Bronze Age technology. They were roughly around 7 to 8 feet tall, with blue skin and tiger stripes about their bodies. Their heads were roughly feline-like and they had pointed ears that moved around like a cat's ears. They had black hair, which they wore mostly in cornrows dreadlocks and tails. These layers were no longer than below their shoulders. However, a single thick braid of hair grew out from their heads down to their legs. The braid hid a bundle of feathery-like, pink tendrils called a queue. This queue allowed them to connect to the wildlife, which made it easy for them to tame in order to ride.

The Na'vi treated the explorers with hostile intent, even killed several of them. But despite the hostile greeting, the humans came back and in this time in greater numbers. Kiryuu and his company the Utah Foundation of Bio-Organic Research, wanted to study these natives and sent its own group of scientists to do just that. Kiryuu was interested in how a pre-industrial civilization came to be on this moon, how they managed to survive in their environment. Though, again, hostile relations between the scientists and the natives made that difficult. Kiryuu decided that in order to connect with the Na'vi, he had to have his scientists think on their level. That was when they activated the Avatar program. Kiryuu's company was one of the leading minds in genetic manipulation. Biosyntech was a fact in that. Kiryuu was more than enough proof as well, since his whole muscular and nervous system had been cloned from his old and dead body. He only needed one tissue sample from the natives and his company went to work on creating Avatars for the scientists. Through datajacking, or decking, the scientists could enter their Avatars' blank minds and pilot them as if they were operating in their own bodies from inside isolation tanks. Each Avatar was cloned with DNA from that particular scientist and some of the cells from the natives. So far, the plan worked. The Na'vi did not react as hostile to the Avatars as they did to the humans, but still, relationships were tense. They became even tenser when Unobtanium was discovered. Malcho stepped in and told Kiryuu he wanted to mine the planet after samples of the rock were sent to Earth for study. This rock was a huge conductor of energy and it could improve ship propulsion and weaponry. To Malcho, Pandora was a gold mine just waiting to be dug up.

Kiryuu had a new mission; he had to know what had happened to his program. He knew that an uprising occurred on the moon a few months after Harvest was glassed. He had to find out why and how it was started.

He finally flew over the compound. He recalled the name of the compound itself. It was originally called ESC-01, but the colonists lovingly called it Hell's Gate. Many of the miners viewed Pandora as a backwards version of Hell. Instead of molten lakes of fire and lava, there were lush green forests, but with horrible creatures wanting to eat them at every turn. And then there was the Na'vi, who used arrows dipped in neural toxins that hunted the miners down.

Kiryuu landed near the compound's main operations center and slowly walked up the ramp. He came to the airlock doors and noticed they were a bit rusted. Everything was rusted. He wondered if anything was still operational. It seemed no one had been in Hell's Gate for a long time. Kiryuu glanced over at a keypad and touched it. Nothing happened. Somewhere deep in his files was a map of the base itself. He loaded it up and began to scout around where he could possibly turn the power back on. The information he had on the base that it was powered by geothermic activity from the moon's core. Since the moon had incredible geological activity, the humans could easily make use of it for their needs. Kiryuu leaped into the air again and made his way towards the power station over on the north side of the compound. Large ventilation chimneys arched their way to the sky. Kiryuu came to an airlock and slammed his fist into the doors. After several minutes of pounding, he managed to break through the doors. The air of Pandora quickly rushed in, filling the airlock. He finally came to the second doors of the airlock and forced them open as well, allowing the pressure and air to enter the plant. Kiryuu walked around the power station and began flipping on the switches to start up the generators. He hoped they were still somewhat operational; at least enough to give him power to send out a distress call.

Kiryuu smiled when he heard the generators creak to life. Lights came on and soon the whole compound was lit up. He headed back towards the Operations Center and began to hack his way through the codes on the keypad. Finally reaching the correct codes, the airlock doors opened and Kiryuu made it inside. He could smell that the air was rather stale and no doubt toxic itself. Holodisplay screens flashed on, showing images of the area around the compound as well as various potential mining sites. At the center was the main holotable that displayed a very detailed topographical map of Pandora. From here, he could keep an eye on the whole planet. However, he recalled the files he received from the tree. Apparently the planet had its own way of keeping an eye on things. This was something he had to learn about too. Like connecting the Great Array, the interdimensional computer that was once used by the Forerunners long ago, he could connect to this planet.

First thing was first, he had to know what happened to the Avatar program and the mining operation.

0

His fears were confirmed. The silver building who walked into the Operations Center was Kiryuu Mechagodzilla Knight, the CEO of the Utah Foundation of Bio-Organic Research. What was Kiryuu doing on Pandora? Jake Sully's ears flattened when he saw the airlock close behind Kiryuu. He could not imagine what was going on inside the biomecha's mind. How did Kiryuu come here?

"Do you believe me, Olo'eytkan?"

"Yes," said Jake. "I believe you. I know who that is. He is _tawtute._ And like all _tawtute, _he must die."

"Si na nga plltxe," the rider nodded. He called out to the other warriors and told them to begin the attack.

"Wait!" Jake said. "Not just yet. You don't know this _tawtute _like I do. He's not like the humans we've fought 30 years ago. He's different. He wields a power greater than Eywa. I've seen what that power can do. We have to be careful or many warriors will die."

"What is greater than Eywa?" asked another warrior.

"Just trust me," said Jake. He looked back at the compound, watching Kiryuu move about the control room. He saw the biomecha turn on the holoscreens and the map table holoscreen, taking in the information it gave him. This worried Jake. No doubt that Kiryuu will soon learn just what happened here on Pandora over 30 years ago.

Kiryuu Knight. That name burned in his head. Kiryuu was a Technomancer, and a master of it as well. Very few people back on Earth even knew how to use Technomancy. Technomancy was once thought of as a form of magic on Earth. It looked like magic, it even behaved like magic, but it was not magic. It was technology. It was science at a level that not many could fathom—that is unless they were connected to some huge sky computer called the Array. The Array to the Technomancers was like Eywa to the Na'vi. The long glowing cords that ran down from Kiryuu's head signified his direct link to the computer. The computer had no form, had no substance. The computer was everywhere, in everything that existed in the universe. And as the universe grew, it gathered knowledge, growing into a vast database. Technomancers could access it and with that knowledge, be able to manipulate matter and energy on a higher level than they would normally without the connection. It almost gave them the power of gods. The technology was 'discovered' by the Great Feathered Serpent Malcho and he taught the humans how to use it. However, as humans go, the gift was abused. Jake knew that story, which was one of the reasons why he had no love of humanity. Just like they abused this world as well as their own, so did they abuse Technomancy.

Technomancy had to be regulated, Jake recalled, after the civil war among the colony planets almost 200 years ago. Not many on Earth today know how to properly use it and those who even have some training are barely even novices. Kiryuu is one of the last few remaining Master Technomancers—that rank was signified by the three triangular stripes marking either side of his cheeks and glowing cyan-blue eyes. Though, even Kiryuu was forced to limit what he was allowed to use. But that was on Earth. This is Pandora, this is where the eye of the UNSC could not see. If Jake decided to attack Kiryuu, what would keep the Technomancer from using all of his might to stop him? And Jake knew better. Never anger a 60-meter tall mutated, cybernetic dinosaur that could spit plasma fire and bend space-time around his fingers. But Kiryuu, like any creature, did have a weakness. Jake knew he needed to find it. Kiryuu was _tawute _and because of that, he must die.

0

Kiryuu finally made it to the Avatar bunker where the datajacking took place. Isolation tanks called psionic resonators encircled a central point. They looked like CT scanners and steal coffins. Another holoscreen lit up as Kiryuu sat down. Here he began to access the various video logs of the scientists. He knew the codes for each log and they were easy to pull up. Glancing slightly over at a shiny surface on the wall, Kiryuu noticed his reflection. The six black stripes appeared on his face and his eyes were glowing blue, not their usual gold color. This was all apart of the Connection. Kiryuu groaned and rubbed his forehead. Remaining Connected fatigued him. No Technomancer was meant to stay this way for long. This planet was forcing the Connection much like what happened on the Ark.

Kiryuu looked back at the screen and saw one particular log he was interested in viewing. It was a log from Dr. Grace Augustine. She was his lead scientist in the project Avatar on Pandora. She was his best geneticist and as well as a botanist and cultural enthusiast. She was a human after his own heart. When he chose her to lead the project, Grace nearly leapt into the air. She heard so much about the Na'vi and Pandora and she desperately wanted to see the fantastic world for herself. Anything was better than hearing the depressing news about the terrorists in the Outer Colonies.

"Mr. Knight," Kiryuu recalled Grace saying to him that day. "I am honored that you've chosen me. I can't thank you enough."

"I should thank you," Kiryuu said to her. "Because of the Na'vi's hostility to outsiders on their moon, it was hard to even get anyone to go there. You are doing me a great service, Dr. Augustine."

"Call me Grace, Mr. Knight."

"Grace. I would like to know how they become so hostile to outsiders. It is almost like aliens have visited them before. Perhaps you could answer that for me when you go."

"I'm certain I can get that answer for you," she said.

"Indeed."

Kiryuu did recall that there were some reports that Dr. Augustine sent back to Earth on the Na'vi. However, when Malcho began his mining operations, these reports became few and mostly tainted with some harsh words. Kiryuu was not totally opposed to Malcho's wanting to mine the moon for the precious ore, however, he did not agree with how Malcho was handling it. But because he did not oppose Malcho, this lead to some harsh relationships between him and Grace. She even threatened to quit the company, however, that would mean that she would have to be sent home. Grace did not want that to happen. So, she begrudgingly remained in Kiryuu's employ until her death.

Kiryuu wanted to know all that had happened to her and the other Avatars. He loaded up the log.

"_Video Log 35: This is Dr. Grace Augustine. We have successfully managed to make some sort of peaceful contact with the Na'vi. However, they are still very distrusting of us. I do have to thank our gracious benefactor Kiryuu Knight on his generosity in helping us understand the native people better. I have found out through some of the members of the Omaticaya Clan as to why they distrust _tawute _or skypeople as they refer to us. It seems they speak of a monster who came from the stars and much like we did communicate with the Na'vi, use Avatars as well. They call Avatars dreamwalkers._

"_These dreamwalkers infiltrated the Na'vi Clans and soon enslaved them. Then, their leader came. They described him as some sort of golden demon with many faces."_

"Gold demon with many faces…" Kiryuu murmured to himself. "No, it can't be."

"_I'm sure that Mr. Knight might know what they are talking about, but I do have a hypothesis. I think they are talking about Monster Zero. I told them not to be afraid anymore because that creature was destroyed 500 years ago and we have no affiliation with him. Unfortunately, this has not sated the Omaticaya Clan. They still believe that Monster Zero is out there somewhere."_

"And they are right," said Kiryuu. "He cannot be destroyed."

Fear of Monster Zero explained why the Na'vi were very hostile to visitors to their world. He did recall that Grace sent a report to him on that theory and he advised her to go find evidence of King Ghidorah's arrival. Normally, the monster would shed a scale or two, in hopes that someone would find it and he would then take control of that person through it. Kiryuu ordered the scientists to seal it inside a protective glass and to study it with only robots. He could not risk anyone being exposed to its radiation even for a second.

Kiryuu shifted through the logs, trying to find more information. He came to one log Grace made about Kiryuu's decision to side with Malcho in the mining of the moon.

"…_and for what? For some stupid war? We need to preserve this world, not turn it into Swiss cheese. Malcho doesn't care about anything but making more money. I should have known that Kiryuu would fall into the same rut. Corporate suits are all the same, whether they're Dragons or giant cyborg dinosaurs."_

"If you only knew…" Kiryuu sighed. He leaned back and ran a silver claw through his green dreadlocks. One of his tentacles came out and started to sift through the logs while he watched idly. Finally, he came upon a log entry he needed to see. A UNSC Marine veteran named Corporal Jake Sully made this particular log. Kiryuu began to recall the moment that brought Sully to him that day. It was the day after his twin brother had died.

0

_Kiryuu straightened out his black blazer and tugged on his gray sweater. He was never one for wearing ties. Walking across the restaurant floor, he set his golden eyes at a loan man in a wheelchair, staring at a glass of water. He had not ordered yet. Kiryuu came to the man and smiled slightly._

"_You should order something, Mr. Sully," he said. "Your lunch is on me."_

_Jake Sully, a scruffy-looking human, stared back at him with wide eyes. He wore clothes that told Kiryuu he would barely even be able to pay for the bread handed out let alone a lunch tab. This was restaurant was too expensive and too fancy for his wallet. Kiryuu pulled the chair out and sat down, coiling his armored tail around a leg of the chair._

"_You seem surprised to see me," he said. "I thought you received the message that I was coming."_

"_Yes, sir," Jake Sully said. His voice had a slight hint of an Australian accent despite the fact that he was an American. Kiryuu figured that it was possible that one of his parents was from Australia. "But I…"_

"_You didn't take the message seriously," Kiryuu said. "You thought it was some prank call."_

"_Sorry, sir," Jake said. "I didn't mean…"_

"_It's alright," Kiryuu held up a hand. He leaned over and glanced down at the mangled legs of his human acquaintance. "You know, you don't have to continue on riding in a wheelchair. Biosyntech can fix you. You can walk again."_

"_I can't afford it," Jake said. "Not even on a vet's pension."_

"_It's understandable, these are trying times," he said._

Probably not for you…_Kiryuu heard Jake thought._

"_They are just as trying for me as they are for you," he said._

"_How did you…?" _

"_I'm telepathic, remember?" Kiryuu asked. "I thought that was a known fact about me. So, you better mind your thoughts around me."_

_The waiter came out and Kiryuu told him that he was paying for both lunches. Luckily he could now processed food into his cold fusion cells. He focused his eyes on Jake's and leaned in, folding his gloved hands together._

"_As you know I did not call you just to have lunch," he said. "I need your help."_

"_What would one of the world's most powerful corporate executives want with me?" Jake asked._

"_I did not want to have some of my 'stooges' as it were to approach you with this proposition," Kiryuu said. "I do not want any mess ups. I am here to give you an opportunity to regain something you lost. All you have to do is go on a small trip."_

"_What kind of trip?"_

"_Your brother was one of my scientists," Kiryuu said. "A good one too. I lost a brilliant mind. He was about to undertake a top-secret project that I personally am funding. Unfortunately, the incident with the mugger has left his seat open. A seat I want you to fill."_

"_I'm no scientist," Jake said in a scoff. "What use would I be to you?"_

"_Well, you have other uses," Kiryuu said. "Military training and also the fact that you and your brother are identical twins."_

"_What does that have to do with anything?"_

"_Don't take this too lightly, Mr. Sully," said the cyborg dinosaur. "I've made a huge investment on this little science project. Have you ever heard of this planet?"_

_Kiryuu produced a holopad, which showed the image of a blue gas giant surrounded by 14 moons._

"_Polythemus," said Jake. "Alpha Centauri."_

"_Right," he said. "And orbiting that planet is a moon with habitable conditions. However, they are not habitable to humans—but these conditions have been able to support life. This world we have named Pandora. There are indigenous creatures there and flora as well as a species of sentient humanoids. Currently, the planet is under mining due to the discovery of a highly superconducting substance idiotically named Unobtanium. I wish someone would strip that name off of it. Omak Technologies and Magical Research is heading the mining operations. However, because I am a bit of an eco-enthusiast, I do not support Malcho's directions in tearing up the lands of these native people—at least not without their permission."_

"_You think that wizwyrm is gonna be concerned over a bunch of alien Indians?" Jake shook his head._

"_Malcho wants to go further in space, and that is all he cares about," Kiryuu said. "Because of the successful tests that were made on the precious mineral, Malcho has been ordered by the UNSC to begin shipping vast quantities of Unobtanium to Reach for refinement to build more advanced slip-space drives. The Na'vi, that is the name of the natives, of course don't want their land dug up."_

"_Who would want their backyard dug up with out just cause?" Jake asked._

"_Exactly," Kiryuu agreed. "I do agree that Unobtanium can in fact push our technology even further in the voyage through space, but I also believe there is another route. Unfortunately, my hands are tied. I can no more control Malcho than you can. That is where you come in, or where your brother once did. Before mining began, when Pandora was discovered to have the Na'vi on it, I more than intrigued about them and wanted to learn more of them. I sent scientists who I paid to study them, however, relationships were tense. They did not trust anyone who came out of the sky, which was something else that captured my thoughts. Apparently they have been invaded before._

"_Well, because my company specializes in cloning, I decided to use that to my advantage and basically create flash clones using the Na'vi's DNA spliced with human DNA to create bodies called Avatars. These Avatars have no conscience, but can be piloted by a human through psionic datajacking in an isolation chamber. The driver in the chamber has no awareness of his own body, but only the body of his Avatar. He feels everything the Avatar feels, sees, hears, and tastes. It also allows the scientists to move about Pandora easier without the discomfort of a breather. And the Avatar's body, since it is created from the Na'vi DNA, is better adapted to move around in the thicker atmosphere and lower gravity. But there was another reason, diplomacy. I wanted my scientists to talk to the Na'vi on their level, understand their ways and see through their eyes. This worked for a short time however still relationships were rough. Then Malcho's miners came and it all went downhill after that. Still, I wanted to keep up the program. Perhaps the Avatars could get the Na'vi to understand what is happening and perhaps help them temporarily relocate while Malcho does his mining. It wasn't enough and they even began to distrust the Avatars. Dr. Grace Augustine, the lead scientist, is still trying, but she needs protection."_

"_That's why you want me to go," Jake said. "I can protect the others in an Avatar."_

"_That," Kiryuu said. "And as well cloning an Avatar takes about 5 billion dollars. Your brother would have been riding in a pricy body. I hate to have so much money go to waste. Since you are identical twins, you are genetically the closest thing I have to him. I don't want to destroy 5 billion dollars, Jake."_

_Jake nodded. Kiryuu sensed what was going through the human's mind. He knew that Kiryuu was concerned about the money involved._

"_What's in it for me?" Jake asked._

"_You will be compensated handsomely for your time, Mr. Sully," Kiryuu said._

"_And?"_

"_I'll even give you your legs back," Kiryuu said. "Give you back what the Insurrectionists took from you. Free of charge. All you have to do when the job is done is walk into a Utah Foundation clinic, give the nurse your name and she'll set you up with an appointment immediately. No waiting time. We can even start growing the syntech now while you are on duty on Pandora."_

_Jake Sully blinked and perked his lips together in thought. He nodded._

"_Good, then we have a deal, Mr. Sully?" Kiryuu asked, offering his hand._

_Jake took it and shook it: "We have a deal, Mr. Knight."_

0

Jake did make it to Pandora, as Kiryuu was informed. However, the uprising that happened on Pandora left Jake Sully's fate uncertain. After 30 years, Kiryuu wanted to find out what had happened to the replacement for Dr. Tomas Sully. He stopped at one of the journals, seeing Sully's face appear on the screen.

"_I can't begin to tell you how great it feels to be able to walk again. As soon as I was able to, I was straight out into the courtyard before any of the doctors could give me a proper check-up. I felt like I could run forever. It's also a big relief to be able to see around Pandora without the need for a breathing mask!_

"_It's pretty funny, seeing how everyone has to crane their necks to get a look at me, for once. Something I don't get is that the Na'vi have those weird little tentacles under their braids. I always thought they just liked having stupid hair, but what's it really covering? Not even Gracie seems to know for sure."_

Kiryuu recalled that Grace theorized the Na'vi could use the pink tendrils as a way to connect to the world around them. It was like they had a natural datajack growing out from the back of their head. They could literally connect with nature. Kiryuu flipped to another entry.

"_The Na'vi let me inside Hometree! Turns out this is just one tribe of many; I think they said they were called the Omaticaya. They told me they had never seen a 'warrior' of the dreamwalkers; their term for Avatars, I guess. The Na'vi who found me, Neytiri, was going on about how she only spared me because of a sign from 'Eywa'. According to Grace, that's the name of their chief god or whatever. Turns out they hate Avatars almost as much as they hate humans. Whatever, fruit-loops; I'm to walk, talk and think Na'vi now if I want to stay in their good books, and that's all that matters..."_

"_Quaritch has got me on a new mission. He wants me to check Hometree for any kind of structural weaknesses that the security can use to their advantage should push come to shove. I don't think Grace would be happy with what the Colonel's got in his head, but he says it's all purely for deterrent purposes and has promised to pay to have my legs restored if I'm successful. I've gotta admit that's a very tempting offer..."_

"_I talked Eytucan into letting Grace back into Hometree, and continue teaching English to the Na'vi. The kids really seem to like her. Meanwhile, Neytiri is keeping the lessons coming fast and hard. She calls me 'skxawng', which means 'moron', and as for Tsu'tey..._

"_I think Grace suspects that I'm in cahoots with Quaritch. She's kept me, Norm and Trudy here at this outpost in the Hallelujah Mountains for the past few days, doubtless to keep us away from him and Selfridge..."_

When Grace sent word back to Earth about information on the Na'vi, the first thing Kiryuu wanted to learn was their language. Grace managed to create a complete dictionary and syntax codex on the Na'vi language, something that Kiryuu had valued. For the first time, he added an alien language to his databanks. Of course, other alien languages followed, mostly due to the Human-Covenant War. He learned how to speak Sangheili, mostly because that language the common one in the Covenant. A new entry came up. This time, Jake had a look of concern on his face. He looked like he was sweating and he even shivered. This particular entry was taken 3 months after Jake had landed on Pandora.

"_It's been three months now since I came to this planet. Neytiri and I have grown real close, and I've been forgetting to keep this thing updated._

_There's a new problem. We heard word a few hours ago that Harvest got destroyed. The guys responsible call themselves the Covenant, these bad-assed aliens that want to blow us all to kingdom come. They won't say why, of course, but they were nice enough to leave us a note; 'Your destruction is the will of the gods, and we are their instruments'..._

"_Quaritch is getting desperate. The news about Harvest seems to have hit him pretty hard. We're all expecting an attack from this Covenant, and getting the Unobtainium has become even more urgent than before. I keep hearing how it's going to be necessary to fight them, but it's all a load of technobabble bullshit. All that matters is that aliens want to blow us up, and we need the Unobtainium to fight them. It means I've now got a deadline that's approaching real fast."_

Kiryuu knew that when the war began, even he had to put aside his concerns for the Na'vi and their homeland and focus more on the protection of the Earth colonies. It seemed Unobtainium was going to be the key in shortening the war. Malcho stated that after the mining was done and the war finished, they were going to return to Pandora and heal the planet.

"_The Na'vi wouldn't be bothered by any of this, of course. Those tentacle-things I was talking about literally let 'em plug into the flora and fauna out here. I'm now bonded to an Ikran – a Mountain Banshee – which has secured me a place among the Na'vi people. I've done all I can to win their trust, but in spite of everything I think it's all been for naught. It's obvious that the Omaticaya will never leave Hometree. Why should we try to force them? I'm going to tell Neytiri everything tomorrow..."_

Then, Kiryuu came upon the final entry of Jake's video logs. This one was taken a week and a half later. Jake appeared, clean-shaven, but with a startling, disturbed look in his eyes. He seemed wild and he bore a vengeful smile upon his face. Kiryuu could not help but to think that Jake looked quite mad in the video.

"_It's all over... That fucker Quaritch is dead, and his little army got wiped out by Eywa herself. We took losses on our side as well, including Trudy and Tsu'tey. Shame I didn't get to see Neytiri plug Quaritch full of arrows. He deserved a lot more, after what he did to the Na'vi and to Grace..._

"_Selfridge and his corporate stooges have been banished from Pandora, and no humans will be permitted to live here now. Only Norm and a few others have been allowed to stay, but I can't see them staying here for long. Pandora is no place for a sky-person; Quaritch and the rest demonstrated that really well. Selfridge told me he would spread the word about Quaritch's actions to the public, but I can see the fangs behind his smile. He's going to sleaze his way out of responsibility for this one; I can see it happening._

"_Not that the human race matters to me now. Fuck the lot of 'em. They can all go and get themselves wiped out by the Covenant, for all I care. If the damage they caused here is any sign of what they're going to do to win this war, then I want no part of it. Nothing excuses what happened here. If the Covenant wipes out every human in this galaxy, that's no business of mine now._

"_Anyway, no matter what happens tonight, this will be my final entry. I'd better sign off now; I don't want to be late for my own birthday..."_

Now Kiryuu had all of his answers as to what happened on Pandora. His mouth curled into a stark frown and his fingers folded into fists. Kiryuu pulled the datacrystal from its slot and inserted it into his head. His eyes glowed with fury when he heard the last entry made by Jake Sully.

"I was going to give you your legs back, Mr. Sully," he said. "I was going to give you a way to retire for the rest of your life in payment for replacing your brother. Now, you have crossed me. No one betrays Kiryuu Knight! If only you knew the consequences we had to pay for your petty actions. The lives that were lost to that blasted war. In your journal, you say that the Na'vi believe the humans cannot see, I say it is you who was the blind one." Kiryuu growled and then began to collect himself. "Well, now, I suppose I should correct this oversight. Perhaps my investment in the preservation of this planet was much wasted after all. It is time to take back all that I have invested, including a certain 5 billion dollars Mr. Sully owes me."

He glanced around the room.

"Months ago, I was still the Commander in Chief of the UNSC," he began. "I had authority to say whether or not we go to war. I could also lobby for treasonous criminals to be put to death. Jake Sully is such a traitor. The war could have ended much sooner if it were not for his foolish actions. 76 planets and billions of human lives could have been spared. He has not only betrayed me, but he has betrayed his fellow man. This is inexcusable."

He got up and walked back into the control room.

_Kiryuu…_

Kiryuu swung around at the sound of the voice.

"Who's there?" he asked, gathering himself into a fight stance.

_We are together again, Kiryuu…_

"Ghidorah?" Kiryuu asked, recognizing the voice.

_This world holds many secrets. Find them. Find me. And then, you will at last see._

Kiryuu began to walk down the hallway, following the voice. He came to a laboratory at the far end of the compound where a glass door was barring his entry. Kiryuu placed his claw on the door lock and gave it a push. With his strength, he managed to unhinge the door. A rush of stale air flowed over him and he slowly walked into the glass chamber inside. There, he found a glass case and a golden, reptilian scale inside of it.

_Hello, Kiryuu…_

Kiryuu jerked back when he heard that voice. The scale pulsed with golden light as the voice spoke.

"Ghidorah?" Kiryuu asked.

Upon command, a golden mist spilled out from the scale. The fog took shape into a golden dragon with three heads. The central head had dramatically branched horns while the others only have plain curved horns. All three heads held a sly smirk as if the dragon was a cat who just swallowed the mouse.

_Miss me, Kiryuu? _King Ghidorah asked.

"Not really," Kiryuu replied.

_That is too bad,_ said the dragon. _I have missed you._

"So, this is what's become of you after we destroyed the Ark," said Kiryuu. "A scale."

_There are many of my scales left on many worlds, Kiryuu,_ said Ghidorah. _And you know there are many of my Flood on many Installations. The Forerunners have worlds where they keep parts of my body trapped. But I long for release. I cannot stand being pent up like this._

"Forget it," said Kiryuu. "I'm not freeing you."

_But I can help you! _King Ghidorah called just as Kiryuu turned away. _Jake Sully does not know the secret of this world. He claims that he does. He defends a world that is not a paradise, but a hell._

"What do you mean?"

_Perhaps it was best that he chased the humans away,_ said King Ghidorah. _After all, if they were to have dug any further, they would have released me._

"What are you saying?" Kiryuu asked, drawing closer to the ghostly dragon.

_This world contains Flood._

"What?" asked Kiryuu. "Where?"

_Everywhere, _King Ghidorah replied. _Below your feet, to the west, to the east, to the north, to the south. It does not matter where you go, we will find you. And you will find us._

Kiryuu growled at King Ghidorah.

_He could not have predicted the outcome of the war,_ said King Ghidorah. _He did not know how it was going to turn out._

"He was told," said Kiryuu. "He did not care."

_You can make him care. You can show him a piece of the war, the horror that came afterwards. This world is fake. This world is not real. It is a Forerunner Installation. I am being held here, in my Infectious Form. I can make him see the truth of the darkness of this world—he world he so wanted to defend._

"If that is true and you are here, this world should have been destroyed!" Kiryuu growled.

_If you destroy this world, then it is no loss to me,_ King Ghidorah said. _I have others on other worlds. For once we can work together._

"Forget it!" Kiryuu bellowed. "I do not work with freaks like yourself."

_The pot calling the kettle black._

"I will never side with you," said Kiryuu. "You can guarantee that."

_I think you will when you realize that you are out numbered here. Jake Sully has arrived…_

"Why would you allow your Flood to be destroyed over Jake Sully?" Kiryuu asked.

_The same reason why you want to kill him,_ said King Ghidorah. _Revenge. For eons, I have watched the Na'vi live above ground, preaching how they are one with the world, when in reality; there is no world to be one with. This place is a dream world of their own, created by my age-old enemies the Forerunners._

"You created a dream world for me," said Kiryuu. "You tormented me in it. You derived pleasure from my pain."

_And now I will receive pleasure from their suffering, _he said. _These people need to be awakened to reality. And I am that reality. I wish to break their harmony, let them know real suffering._

"Forget it," said Kiryuu. "I'll not be your patsy."

_Not a patsy, but my voice._

"I was your Liche once," said Kiryuu. "Never again. I'm stronger than that."

_Are you strong enough to fight against the pull of this world? This installation has malfunctioned. I think you've noticed when your cords would not retract—or even when they attached themselves to the plants. I can help in fighting against it and the Monitor here._

Kiryuu growled again and looked way.

_It is a strong AI, Kiryuu, _said King Ghidorah. _Just as strong as Mendicant Bias. It will not let you go. But I can be your strength._

Kiryuu sighed, continuing not to look at the ghost.

_Have it your way. There is something you should know. The Na'vi have become curious of the structures that protrude out from the surface of Pandora. They are Forerunner structures. They lead to me. It would be a shame if something was released._

"Jake cannot allow that to happen," said Kiryuu.

_Then you must stop him, _said King Ghidorah. _Or make him see the errors of his ways._

"By releasing you…"

_It is an option._

Kiryuu growled and left the room, heading for the door to the airlock outside. He wanted to deal with Jake Sully on his own terms, not start an epidemic with the Flood. There were abandoned shuttles docked at the compound and possibly the Flood could use those to get off the planet. That was the last thing he wanted to happen. He walked back to the control room and looked up at the screens. King Ghidorah was right Kiryuu had visitors. Standing at the foot of the ramp to the control room were several Na'vi warriors. Kiryuu smirked and walked outside, slowly descending the ramp to the Na'vi warriors. They held up their bows and arrows, pointing the poisonous tips directly at Kiryuu's face.

"_Kaltxì," _he said in a polite, yet business tone. _"Ngati kameie."_

"_Vrrtep!" _Kiryuu heard one of the Na'vi hiss. _"Pot tspang."_

"_Mawey," _called the elderly Na'vi. His voice sound familiar. Kiryuu turned to him. The warrior was dressed in more elaborate clothing than the others. Obviously, this was their leader, or some sort of high-ranking figure among them. Kiryuu's blue eyes turned down to the Na'vi's hands and took a census of his fingers. Ten fingers in all—not eight. Same for his toes. This Na'vi was not Na'vi at all. This Na'vi was an Avatar. The face was familiar, very familiar. Though the face was much older, Kiryuu could piece together just who he once was when he was younger. A smile curled up onto his cheek. It was Jake Sully.

"Hello, Jake," he finally said in English. "Long time, no see."

"Kiryuu Knight," said Jake. "What are you doing here? You do not belong here! You and the rest of the skypeople do not belong on Pandora."

"So, you really have turned native," Kiryuu said, walking slowly up to him. He lowered himself down so that he could look at the Na'vi chieftain in the eyes. "Not that I don't mind you wanting to immerse yourself with their culture, there is a matter of how you did it that concerns me."

_Tell him! _King Ghidorah bellowed. _Show him what he has done! Show him the error of his ways._

Kiryuu blinked and held his ground, trying to ignore the intruder's voice in his mind.

"You and I need to have a talk, Jake Sully," he continued, using a very formal voice. "Your actions on Pandora are most disturbing."

"It took you 30 years to come here personally to deal with me?" Jake asked. "Finally got the nerve?"

"No," Kiryuu said, his face completely expressionless. "For one thing, though it does not concern you just yet, my arrival here was not of my own doing. For another, I had a war to win. Which I did. Eight years ago, I managed to get elected as Commander in Chief of the United Nations Space Command Defense Force."

"What?" Jake asked. "You're the President now?"

"Yes, Jake," he said. "I was. I served my two terms and I did what I promised before I finally left office. I ended the Human/Covenant War. And I did it by—as you humans say—the skin of my teeth. We were lucky to come out on the winning side. And we were lucky that we managed to make alliances with former members of the Covenant in order to help us win it."

"_Po eyktan tawtute," _Jake said to his warriors.

Kiryuu heard many calling out that they should kill him as an example to anymore skypeople who decide to return to Pandora. All he could do was chuckle at the notion. They could do nothing to him.

"Then, what are you doing here?" Jake asked. "Come for your precious Unobtainium?"

"No," said Kiryuu. "Though I would watch out in the future. It is possible with war being over that the UNSC may start mining this planet again. This time, they will not be so 'nice' about it. In order to get what they want, they could just very well wipe all of you out of existence. After all, they now see you as an obstacle rather than people who are equal to them. Obstacles need to be removed especially when it concerns their own survival. We lost many ships and many worlds to the Covenant over the 30 years. And we need supplies."

"Don't come here looking for them, then," said Jake. "We will kill anyone who comes here."

"Then, you will be wiped out," said Kiryuu. "But, who knows, maybe they won't return."

"I won't let that happen," said Jake. "I'll take you as a hostage."

Kiryuu chuckled and shook his head in dismay.

"You can certainly try," he said. He looked at the others, seeing them move in closer. "Jake, you know better than this. You know what I am capable of. Do you really want to risk the lives of your warriors to capture me and use me as some sort of hostage to save Pandora?"

Jake held up a hand again and his shoulders slumped. Kiryuu was right, there was no way he could capture the mecha and use him as a hostage.

"Leave, Kiryuu," he said. "Leave my world."

"As much as I would like to, I cannot," said Kiryuu. "I have no ship to leave with. Even if I take those shuttles off the planet, they have no slipspace capabilities. I would not be able to go anywhere."

Jake hissed at him, barring his fangs in frustration.

"What makes you think such an expression would make me leave?" Kiryuu asked in amusement.

"I don't care if you can't get back to Earth, I want you off Pandora!"

"Such irrational outbursts," said Kiryuu. "And for what? I have done nothing wrong to you. Why such animosity? I do not understand."

"You—you never came to our aid," said Jake. "You said you were on the side of the Na'vi, you wanted to learn more about them, you hated the mining Malcho was doing, but then you sided with that old wizwyrm. You betrayed Grace! And look what happened to her. Quaritch shot her. She's dead, damn you!"

"I know," Kiryuu said. "I saw your report."

His eyes focused upon Jake's.

"Which is why I want to talk to you," Kiryuu said.

"If you really want to talk to me," began Jake. "Then you will allow us to capture you."

"An ultimatum," said Kiryuu. "Very well. I will go quietly. Do not worry, I will not put up a fight, however, lower those arrows—it is fruitless to keep them up. I am sure your arms are tired."

"Cut the shit, you mechanical murderer," said Jake. _"Munge po ne kelutrel. Waranyu, 'ì'awn hu po."_

"_Nga za'u hu ayoeng," _said Waranyu.

"_Si ke kllkxem lok," _Kiryuu said with a chuckle. "My tail might hit you."

They went to the _ikrans_ and mounted up. Kiryuu was ordered to sit behind Waranyu since the warrior was ordered to watch him. As the blue-green birds took off, Jake Sully glanced back at Kiryuu. The glowing, cyan cords flowed behind the biomecha. Kiryuu was Connected like a Technomancer would be. That made him even more of a threat. Kiryuu could draw on abilities that were beyond his normal functions. Though, even his normal functions were dangerous enough.

They banked, turning towards their knew Hometree. There, the _ikran makto_ landed their mounts high in the branches of the tree. Kiryuu finally got a look at just how enormous this tree was. It was certainly taller than he in his normal height. The twisting, thick branches provided excellent alcoves for the Na'vi that lived there. Vines grew all around it. Inside though, natural bioluminescent fungi provided light for the Na'vi. It almost seemed like this tree was designed especially for a community of aboriginal sentient species to live in. Kiryuu knew that could not be natural. A tree just could not be designed to live in. He had seen reports of other worlds and none of them fit the description of Pandora. It was like this world was built for the Na'vi instead of the Na'vi having to adapt to their habitat.

"_Olo'eyktan neu nga," _said Waranyu, pointing over at Jake Sully. _"Ìla pot."_

Kiryuu swung his leg over and dismounted the bird. He made his way into the heart of the massive tree, following Jake down the spiral ramp. Kiryuu looked around at the various interwoven branches. They had hammocks made out of leaves from the tree hanging around. No, the leaves that grew from the branches were the hammocks. This began to support his theories even more that King Ghidorah was right. Pandora was not natural. It was not real. Kiryuu was looking at artificial plant life. There was only one other place that reminded him of this artificial plant life—and that was the Ark. Everything was artificial. Pandora was designed, not created.

_You are beginning to piece it all together, Kiryuu._

_Who designed Pandora? _Kiryuu thought.

_This world holds the answers to your questions. It should have been apparent to you the moment your cords began to download information from the roots of the plants here. Who do you think built this place?_

_The Forerunners!_

As Kiryuu made his way down to the ground level of the tree, he began to sift through the files he downloaded and organizing them. There, he found his answers. This world was not a real moon, but a miniature Shield Installation. Kiryuu chuckled. He wondered if he should tell Jake what he discovered. However, he knew very well that Jake would not believe him. It was better to discuss business instead. After all, Kiryuu wanted his 5 billion dollars back.

He finally reached the center-most part of the tree where a large fire burned. Around the fire were various Na'vi, men, women, children, all gathered in a circle. An elderly Na'vi with a full head of dreadlocks and wearing several beaded necklaces stood near the fire. Jake walked up and stood beside her, placing his hand on her shoulder.

_Ah, so this is Neytiri,_ Kiryuu thought. _So this is why Jake betrayed his own people. He betrayed us because he wanted a piece of ass. Disgusting!_

"_Pesu po?" _Neytiri asked.

"_Po Kiryuu," _Jake replied. "He was the one who helped bring me to you, _yawne_."

"Yes, helped," Kiryuu said. "However, 'help' is an understatement, I was the one who paid for his way to come here. He worked for me."

"You will not speak!" Jake shouted. "You have no voice here."

"I beg to differ," Kiryuu said, shifting his weight to one leg and crossing his arms. "How can I discuss my concerns about how you did your job if I have no voice? Your tribal-traditional logic confounds me."

"_Si ke plltxe," _shouted Neytiri. _"Nga kea mokri."_

"_Si nga kea ronsem,"_ Kiryuu growled.

"He insults me!" shouted Neytiri. "Kill him!"

The warriors began to make their move upon Kiryuu, raising their daggers and arrows once more. Kiryuu planted his feet firmly to the ground. He raised his head to the ceiling above and bellowed his roar. He gave the ground a mighty thump from his tail and the Na'vi fell back. They gasped, startled by the powerful roar.

"Attempt to make a foolhardy move towards me again," Kiryuu began. "And much more than a roar will come from my mouth. I wonder how you would like the smell of chard Na'vi in your home, Jake?"

"_Kea," _Jake shouted to his clan._ "Mawey frapo!"_

"What Quaritch has done is nothing what I could do to you if you dare anger me again," said Kiryuu. "You are already in dire straights with me now. Do not complicate your existence even further by pulling such a poor judgment call of attacking me. You are greatly out numbered."

"Listen to him," said Neytiri. "He speaks as if he is a clan of his own. He is only one being against a hundred warriors in Hometree."

"Neytiri," Jake said. "This is Kiryuu. The entire Japanese Defense Force could not stop him and they had guns, tanks, planes, and some sort of secret chemical weapon to use against him."

"We have Ewya on our side," said Neytiri. "Ewya helped us defeat the skypeople. We can call upon Ewya to defeat him as well."

"Don't be so overconfident," said Kiryuu. "However, I did not come here looking for a fight. After all, I am your prisoner—for the time being."

"What does he mean by that?" asked Neytiri.

"It means that he can leave if he so chooses," said Jake. "Stopping him would only put our clan into jeopardy. I cannot let that happen. Besides, I was lucky to have Ewya help me before. I may not be so lucky now."

"Very wise," said Kiryuu.

"What do you want to talk about, Kiryuu?" Jake asked.

"Your body," said Kiryuu. "5 billion dollars went into cloning it, to make it just right for a controller to pilot it. That body does not rightfully belong to you, it belongs to me. I allowed you to use it because you were under my employ just like I would allow someone to drive a company car under my employ. However, when that person leaves the company, he must give back company property."

"So, that's what this is about?" Jake asked. "You want my body back? Fuck you!"

"You used company property in events that went against our initial agreement," said Kiryuu. "You used that body, which was originally designed to go to your brother, to sabotage and betray the mining colony established here."

"That mining colony was destroying this moon!" said Jake. "They killed the Na'vi, who this moon rightfully belongs to."

"Only in defense," said Kiryuu. "Humans have done no wrong to the Na'vi—at least not before the mining started. When we discovered this world, we wanted to learn about the Na'vi, not take their land away. But the Na'vi were very untrusting of us. I know why. It was because of King Ghidorah."

"What?" Jake asked.

"Please, tell me, Neytiri," Kiryuu began. "The sky demon who came here and slaughtered many of your people, what did he look like?"

"The songs say he was an enormous monster with golden scales, three heads, and wings like an _ikran,_" she replied. "But before then, he sent dreamwalkers here to trick us. We were kind to them first, but then we realized their true intent. Ever since then, we vowed never to trust skypeople again!"

"That demon she speaks of is King Ghidorah, Jake," said Kiryuu.

"And how do you know?" Jake asked.

"Grace found one of King Ghidorah's scales," said Kiryuu. "It's stored in the compound. The scale is dangerous. King Ghidorah has the power to possess anyone through the scale."

"King Ghidorah is dead," said Jake. "You killed him."

"He killed the Sky Demon?" Neytiri asked.

"King Ghidorah is not dead," Kiryuu said. "He is here—he was always here. You just were to blind to see it."

"Na'vi are never blind," said Neytiri. "Only skypeople are blind."

"You're wrong," said Kiryuu. "And that is a dangerous thing to be."

Kiryuu glanced around to the other Na'vi warriors.

"If anything else, you brought that horrible battle onto yourselves," he said, refocusing his attentions to the conflict that occurred 30 years ago. "We were nice. We wanted to treat you like equals, but you did not want that. Did you think we would continue to kiss your feet after you tried to kill unarmed scientists? That is what brought men like Quaritch to this moon. Humans are curious by nature. They feel the need to learn more about the environment they exist in—and when that environment expands to other worlds, of course they would want to learn about those worlds. But if you dare to anger a species several times more powerful than you after they opened their hands in friendship—you will be met with a force you cannot overcome.

"The only reason why they have not returned to settle the dispute was because of the Human/Covenant War. We were facing a species that wanted nothing more than our destruction, and they had superior ships and weapons to ours. Of course we needed this moon, but we could not bother wasting any more time with it. We had to focus our eyes on just saving the planets we have."

Kiryuu let loose a growl at the Na'vi.

"I find your species arrogant," he said. "And coming from me, that is saying something. You think you are perfect because you live within nature—yet you have no idea about the _nature_ of this world you live in harmony with."

"And what do you mean by that?" Jake asked, barring his fangs and flattening his ears.

"Maybe you should ask Ewya," Kiryuu chuckled.

Jake sneered and motioned for some guards to surround Kiryuu.

"Take him to the prison and keep him locked up," he said.

Kiryuu followed them down to a lower level where roots twisted around a room. He entered the room and they placed a wicker gate up, tying the door to the roots to keep him from escaping. However, Kiryuu knew this was a futile attempt to keep him sealed up. He could easily rip through the wicker door and run. Though, he felt it was more advantageous to stay inside.


	3. Alliance of Demons

**Alliance of Demons**

_You see what I mean?_

Kiryuu was jostled awake when he heard that familiar voice call to him again.

_Listen to them, they think they know but they do not. Soon they will realize that this world they commune with will be made to rot._

"Get out of my head, Ghidorah," Kiryuu whispered.

"Talking to yourself?" asked a voice. Kiryuu looked up and found Jake Sully squatting down to him. "Never heard a pompous computer that could talk to itself."

Kiryuu just chuckled.

"You gonna tell me why you're here—boss?" Jake asked, clinching his teeth. "Or am I gonna have to beat it out of you."

"Beat it out of me?" Kiryuu asked. "I don't have to even grow to my true size to stomp you flat, Jake. Or is that what you want? Ever since you betrayed me, that's what you've been waiting for? A chance to take me down?"

"You think I would want something so idiotic?" Jake asked. "Why are you here?"

"I told you, I did not come here on my own accord," Kiryuu said. "I was brought here."

"Who brought you here?" Jake asked. "And are there others?"

"Others, what others?" Kiryuu asked. "Your demands are making hardly any reasonable sense. I am here alone."

"Who brought you here?" Jake asked again.

Kiryuu's smile melted and he leaned against the wood bars. His eyes focused down to the floor and his brows furrowed. Trying to remember how he came here was painful to him. He wanted to be back with the Chief and Cortana. He knew there was something wrong with her and he knew that only he could fix it.

_Tell him!_

Kiryuu winced. A spike of pain was sent through his CPU.

_Tell him!_

"No," he whispered. "What good would it do?"

_Let him know what he protects. You've downloaded it. You have seen the plans. You know what Pandora is!_

Kiryuu looked at the ground and saw his glowing cords fluctuate and move towards the roots of Hometree. Immediately, the cords dove themselves into the roots and the download began again.

_Tell him, now! Let him see us, let him see what he betrayed his species for._

"What's happening?" Jake asked. "Why are your cords in the roots of Hometree?"

"Because I am communicating with it," said Kiryuu.

"How?" Jake asked. "You don't have any way to do that. You're not Na'vi."

Kiryuu stood up and waved a metallic claw at the roots. They bent backwards, forming a hole in the cage to allow him through. Kiryuu walked out of his cage and turned to face Jake.

"This moon is a machine," he said. "It is artificial—just as artificial as I am. It was built with Technomancy by an ancient race who knew how to use it properly."

"What?" Jake asked. "You're fucking joking."

"I'm not," said Kiryuu. "There was a reason why King Ghidorah had been here and that was because of creators of this world. They're known as the Forerunners. The Covenant—the enemies that we fought during the war were after Forerunner technology so they could become immortal. Really, the technology they were looking for was a weapon the Forerunners used against King Ghidorah's creations known as the Flood."

"Shut up," said Jake. "That's enough out of you."

Kiryuu, in a blur, leapt onto Jake Sully, knocking him down. One way or another, he was going to get the bullheaded human-turned Na'vi to listen.

"Neytiri said King Ghidorah has been here, but I say he's never left!" Kiryuu growled. "When you betrayed humanity, you promised yourself that you protect this world. But have do you any idea what this world really is? Do you know who Eywa is?"

"The goddess of this world," said Jake. "Unlike all the other so-called gods we humans used to believe in, at least Eywa is real."

"No, she's no god," said Kiryuu. "She's an artificial intelligence, a monitor of a Shield World that controls the function of this world. Jake, this world is a Forerunner Shield Installation. The animals are artificial, under it's control, and so in partial are the Na'vi. Why do you think they have those damned cords on the back of their necks? To commune with Eywa or to talk to a database?"

"Eywa helped me defeat the skypeople," said Jake. "She chased them off."

"Listen to yourself," said Kiryuu. "Listen to how stupid you sound. Those were your people! They were doing what they were ordered to do. I can understand your feelings for Quaritch, but condemning the entire race to death for the actions of one man is inexcusable. The Monitor of this Shield Installation chased them off because they were digging into areas they were not supposed to dig into. The Monitor knew they were getting close to areas that were supposed to be quarantined."

"Quarantined?" Jake asked. "Like for some sort of virus?"

"Much more than a virus," said Kiryuu. "King Ghidorah's new form. 40,000 years ago, King Ghidorah tricked a Forerunner scientist to create a retrovirus. This retrovirus is called the Flood Super Cell and it turns people into mindless slaves of King Ghidorah. Not only that, but it kills them and reanimates their bodies. When enough Flood have been massed, they can form into another solid body for King Ghidorah. When the Forerunners realized this, they created the Halos to destroy all life within the galaxy—the food of the Flood—as in you, humans, Covenant. You are all food!"

"You're lying," said Jake.

"See if I'm lying!" Kiryuu cried. "I can take you to a structure which will lead you into the installation itself. And it has Flood! Your warriors have found such structures. You're delving into them, trying to figure out how they work. You're delving into a place you were not meant to go."

Jake shook his head and leaned away from Kiryuu.

"Look around you," said Kiryuu. "Look at this tree. Trees aren't designed like this, no matter how alien they are. They're not designed to automatically be houses for people. You cut them down, you chop them up, you turn the wood into houses, but a tree doesn't grow to form a house. Not unless there is something within that commands it. This tree is artificial. It was manufactured, just like everything else on this planet. The Forerunners created this planet to house the Na'vi. It is a Garden of Eden for them, meant to feed them, to clothe them, to give them shelter. Why? Because the Forerunner needed the Na'vi for a purpose. You know what that purpose was?"

"No," said Jake.

"The Forerunners took the Na'vi from their home world," said Kiryuu. "They built this shield world to study them. The shield world was built for the Forerunners to live inside while the Na'vi lived outside so they could observe them like rats. For what purpose? Because they wanted to know if the Na'vi could create a vaccine for the Flood. That is why there are Flood here. But Flood contains tissue of King Ghidorah and that attracts the monster."

_Yes! Yes!_

Jake's eyes became downcast.

"This world is a giant laboratory," said Kiryuu. "And your precious Neytiri is the rat. And since you're one of them, I suppose that makes you a rat too. It fits, I think. Only a rat would betray his friends and family."

"I have no more friends or family," said Jake. "Not from the humans."

"You think your brother would agree with you doing what you did?" asked Kiryuu.

"Asshole!" Jake bellowed as he reared back to punch Kiryuu in the jaw. Before he could make contact, Kiryuu grabbed Jake's hand.

"Condemning humans means you condemn him," said Kiryuu, clutching Jake's fist tightly. Jake winced just as he felt Kiryuu begin to clamp down, breaking the joints in his hand. He lowered himself to the ground, panting in pain, looking back up at the biomecha. Kiryuu's expression was flat. Then, Jake's eyes widened when he saw Kiryuu's eyes flash red.

"_You deny the truth, but it lies below," _said Kiryuu in a voice much deeper than his. It was not Kiryuu's voice at all. _"And soon through all your deluded hope, you will finally know. This planet is called Pandora for a reason, and not for the creatures living on its surface. You have betrayed your people once and so you will betray them again. For it is you who will unleash the demons from within."_

Kiryuu let go of Jake's hand and fell to his knees, exhausted. He panted, holding a claw up to his head.

"Now—you know I am telling the truth," he said.

"King Ghidorah?" Jake asked. "That was King Ghidorah? He spoke through you?"

"I was close to being in contact with his scale," said Kiryuu. "And, well, he did it before. 500 years ago, he used me as a patsy. He's trying to feed into my anger towards you, Jake. Why do you think I'm being very cordial about our meeting? I am trying my best to suppress him. I want to fight you. I want to kill you. I want to do everything to you that you did to your own people. I want you to feel the agony innocent human lives felt at the hands of the Covenant after what you have done. But that is not my way. I am not a savage."

"I suppose restraint makes you seem better than us," said Jake. "How arrogant of you."

"I know when I need to fight and when I do not," said Kiryuu. "Apparently you don't. Do you know what I was about to do when the war was over—after we had mined the moon? I was going to heal it, give back to the Na'vi what the UNSC was taking from them. Now, I wish never to set foot on it. Yet, here I am. Though, I am glad you stopped us with your little Geronimo stunt. If we had continued, King Ghidorah would have appeared again."

He lowered his head.

"You want to know who brought me here," he began, his shoulders shaking like he was suffering from a chill. "It was King Ghidorah. He took control of the Covenant holy city High Charity through his Flood and managed to take it out of the galaxy, following us through a portal to a Forerunner installation. We thought we defeated him on that installation and destroyed it, causing the portal to close behind us. But not all of us made it through. I did not. He trapped me, tormented me, and then when he was done, sent me here."

"Why?" Jake asked.

"Ask him," said Kiryuu. "All you have to do is find your way into the installation and ask him. He is here."

"That is what you want me to do," he said.

"That is what he wants!" Kiryuu called. "He wants to be freed. This world is not real, Jake. It's not real. You fought for a lie. Was it worth it?"

_Give me control! Let me ease your suffering. The power, the exhilaration. You felt it. Be it. Let yourself go and let me take control._

Jake got up and snorted. He did not want to deal with Kiryuu anymore today. He had a clan to lead, hunts to go on. He had his wife to take care of. Jake left Kiryuu in his sullen state. He knew the biomecha would not go anywhere. It seemed with all Kiryuu strength, he was completely helpless at this time. Just as Jake left, Kiryuu raised his head.

"You win," he finally said to the voice in his mind.

King Ghidorah bellowed his laugh as Kiryuu slumped his head in shame. Tears flowed down his cheeks, listening to the golden hydra's triumphant guffaw.

0

"_Aykeruseytìranyu,"_ said Neytiri. "Deathwalkers."

"The what?" Jake asked.

"They are creatures who were once Na'vi," she said. "Our songs speak of them. They were beings that the Gold Demon made from Na'vi. He used them to trick us. What metal skydemon speaks of is true."

"The Flood," said Jake. "He called them the Flood."

Neytiri walked around the enormous fire, her golden eyes fell upon the other clan members.

"Deathwalkers are possessed spirits," she told them. "They walk like us, but are not like us. Their spirits cannot go to Eywa because the Gold Demon has them. They become a part of him and he commands their lifeless bodies to work for him. They fight for him because he still promises them life."

Jake scoffs for a moment. He could not believe in something so absurd. However, Kiryuu described something similar when he told him about the Flood.

"Kiryuu says that the Deathwalkers still exist on Pandora," said Jake, rising up. "They are here."

"When the demon left, he took the Deathwalkers with him," said Neytiri. "How can you say that is true?"

"Kiryuu is an asshole," said Jake. "But I saw his eyes. I saw him and then I saw the Gold Demon within him. He is right, King Ghidorah is still here."

"We must find where the Deathwalkers are hiding and destroy them!" shouted a warrior.

"Only Kiryuu knows where they are hiding," said Jake.

"Then take the metal skydemon," said Neytiri. "Have him show our finest warriors where they are and they will destroy them."

"Olo'eytkan!" called Waranyu, running towards the group around the fire. "The metal skydemon. He's escaped!"

"What?" Jake asked.

"I went to check up on him and he was not there," said Waranyu. "I am sorry, Olo'eytkan."

Jake looked back to the other members of his clan.

"Gather up your warriors, Waranyu," he said. "We'll fix your mistake."

"Yes, Olo'eytkan," said Waranyu, dipping his head.

"Ma Jake," said Neytiri. "Don't go chasing the skydemon. He is trouble. He could get you killed."

"Don't worry," said Jake. He gathered his bow up and called out to his warriors. They all mounted upon their direhorses and rode off. Jake heard the sounds of lookouts calling to him, sounding their messages in cryptic hoots and chatter. They told him where Kiryuu had went to. He howled at his warriors, raising his bow high. They sounded their reply and swiftly followed. Another sound came and Jake looked up, hearing the call of several _ikran makto._ Jake's eyes were wide when he decoded their message. Kiryuu was heading in the direction of the sacred Tree of Souls.

"No," he said. "This would be like the changeling. No! Kiryuu must not reach the Tree of Souls. Do what you can! Distract him!"

"_Makto ko!" _shouted one of the riders.

It took quite a bit of riding to reach the chasm at the center of the Flux Vortex. The _ikran makto _were perched up on the ribbed stone structures, looking down upon the enormous, glowing willow Tree of Souls. The sun was already starting to set and the bioluminescent vines hanging from the tree started to glow their pink-white color. The riders' bows were drawn and arrows were ready, pointing at a figure at the truck of the tree. Jake Sully and his warriors came upon the tree to find Kiryuu sitting there. Kiryuu's eyes were closed and the cyan-colored, glowing cords floated up to attach themselves to the vines of the tree itself. Jake lifted off of his horse and pulled his dagger from its sheath. He swiftly ran for Kiryuu wanting desperately to burry his knife into the latex rubber skin of the biomecha. Kiryuu's eyes opened and a vine from a rock formation whipped out. The vine tripped Jake, tying his legs together. The vine lifted him up and lowered him down towards Kiryuu.

"How?" Jake called. "How is this possible?"

"I am communicating with the internal system of the Shield Installation itself," said Kiryuu. "The plants here are a part of that system."

He dropped Jake down on the ground.

"What are you doing here?" Jake asked. "Don't you know this is our most sacred place? I should kill you right now!"

"Go ahead and try," said Kiryuu.

Jake yellowed and dove for him, knife in hand. Another whip sounded and Jake saw a blinding flash of silver. He made a dodge for it, leaping sideways and rolling onto the ground, but another bright flash of silver came across him. Jake felt the ground shake as something impacted into the rock. He looked at his side and saw a massive metallic blade sticking out of the ground. It was connected to a long, spined vine, which was then connected to Kiryuu. He saw more of these painfully bladed whips lash about Kiryuu's body, all of them connected to him. Jake saw the exposed areas of biosyntech under the black rubber that held his armor. Those blades were his famous weapon—his tentacles. Jake saw the glowing blue, perfectly polished crystals lining the chitin around the syntech.

"Want to try again?" Kiryuu asked.

"Something tells me you wanted me to follow you," said Jake.

"That was my intention," Kiryuu said.

Jake looked over at Kiryuu's left arm, noticing that he had removed the armor on it to expose the syntech. Bladed spines grew out from the forearm and curved backwards towards the elbow. Jake rolled quickly over to dodge another blade impacting the rock. Kiryuu got up and continued to send blade after blade. He swiped and slashed while Jake attempted to dodge. Finally, a blade slashed and Jake called out in pain. He crashed to the ground, holding his side. His blood dripped from a clean, smooth cut and splashed onto the roots of the Tree of Souls. Kiryuu disconnected from the tree and chuckled, withdrawing his blades slightly away from Jake. Jake gasped, holding to his side.

"Well, kill me," he said. "That's what you wanted to do."

"I want you to see this first," said Kiryuu. "And then when I grow tired of you, I may dispose of you."

A blade whipped out and grabbed Jake by the waist, carrying him over to Kiryuu. He took Jake by the neck and brought him close to his snout. Jake looked around him as he saw several blades circled his body.

"There is a reason why there is a vortex around this area," he said. "And I will show it to you."

Kiryuu lifted up and pressed a depression in the stone near a root of the tree with his foot. The roots in front began to pull back over the stone and a crack split the up the middle, opening to a chasm below. Jake looked down and saw Pandora for what it is through the cracks, metal, circuitry, lights, and mechanical parts. He could not believe that Kiryuu was right.

"Down we go," said Kiryuu, tightly securing him with his syntech.

"What?" Jake asked as Kiryuu leapt into the chasm, taking him with him.

Kiryuu looked back at the Na'vi warriors who gathered at the rim: _"Tsamsiyu za'u ìla!"_

"_Tsamsiyu ne oe!" _Jake hollered as he saw them dive down with their _ikran. "Ftang vrrtep!"_

"_Fmi si ftang oe," _bellowed Kiryuu. He dove through the rafters, falling through the darkness while the _ikran makto _followed. Kiryuu's blades lashed out onto a banister and he swung down, landing on a platform. The darkness gave way to an eerie cyan glow coming from underneath. The riders landed on the platform, their bows drawn. Kiryuu grabbed hold of Jake's queue and pulled it tight, placing him between Kiryuu and the warriors. Jake let loose a cry of pain as he felt his queue being pulled taunt.

"_Tspang oe si nga tspang pot,"_ Kiryuu warned, keeping a firm grip on Jake.

"_Kea," _said Jake, raising a hand. He turned back to Kiryuu. "Why have you brought me here."

Kiryuu paused for a moment and looked up, hearing something mechanical move towards them. He saw two glowing points of light encased behind a blue energy shield up in front.

"I knew one of those things would be here," he said. Jake looked up just as an enormous automaton with a blocky body, large pincers below it, and floodlights on the top float towards them. It charged up its weapons and began to fire upon them. Kiryuu and Jake leapt out of the way just as a wave of missiles impacted the floor where they were standing. The Na'vi warriors began to fire on it with their bows, but they just bounced off of its metallic casing.

"Stop!" Kiryuu called. "You'll just make it worse!"

"_Si ke txep," _Jake cried. _"Tsamsiyu ftang!"_

"_Ìla ayoeng," _Kiryuu. He grabbed Jake and ducked again just as the other Na'vi warriors followed. One warrior was tripped on a grate and fell. The robotic guard fired on him, turning him into nothing more than a chard spot on the floor. Jake bellowed out when he saw the thing kill one of his warriors. They ducked behind a column as another wave of fire came racing towards them.

"What the hell is that thing?" Jake asked.

"Enforcer," replied Kiryuu. "The Forerunners built robots called Sentinels to guard their installations, especially ones with Flood on them. Enforcers are one of the more powerful guardians, and they're only unleashed when the outbreak is bad."

"But there isn't any Flood here," said Jake. "You said it's all locked up."

"Maybe," said Kiryuu. "Though it's possible that the Monitor—the one you call Eywa, is trying to stop me."

"Stop you from doing what?" Jake asked.

"Showing you the truth," said Kiryuu.

"Eywa is firing on me," said Jake. "Why? I was her chosen one."

"You served your purpose," said Kiryuu. "Now you are the intruder. Let's go."

He sliced off a piece of his own syntech and allowed it to harden. Kiryuu motioned for them to keep quiet and tossed the piece out onto the floor. As the piece rolled to a stop, it sprouted legs and began to walk around, scuttling across the floor. The Enforcer looked down and began to follow its movements as it scurried its way to the opposite side.

"That's—that's convenient," said Jake.

"Come on," said Kiryuu. He led them down a hallway that was lit dimly by white light. Kiryuu glanced around, making sure that he did not hear any more Sentinels floating around.

"What is this place?" Jake asked.

"This is about 2 miles into the Shield Installation," said Kiryuu. "You just live on the surface. There's a whole nether world you have yet to explore. Though I wonder if Na'vi can survive that world. The Forerunners breathe oxygen/nitrogen just like humans while Na'vi breathe oxygen/carbon dioxide. You may not survive it."

"We seem to be doing fine here," said Jake.

"I suspect this area was constantly exposed to the moon's atmosphere," said Kiryuu.

"Alright," said Jake. "Explain to me this. If the Na'vi were the science experiment for these ancient aliens, then what's the deal with the queue? Why give them the ability to communicate with nature?"

"It was a survival tactic," said Kiryuu. "But also it was a method of instant data gathering for the Forerunners. Like an implant. The Monitor would store the data gathered from the Na'vi through the queue. It also does it when a Na'vi dies. The things you called the Sacred Seeds are remote terminals to the Monitor."

"Great," said Jake. "I'm walking around with a real USB cord in the back of my neck."

"Essentially," said Kiryuu. He glanced up when he heard another metallic sound. It was a second Enforcer. "Stay here."

"_Í'awn," _said Jake to the remaining warriors. He stood back as Kiryuu leapt into the air and onto the Enforcer's back.

"Run!" Kiryuu called. "Hide behind that pillar, I've got it distracted."

"_Ko!" _Jake ordered.

Kiryuu's syntech formed into one solid long sword-like protrusion from the palm of his hand. Curling his claws around the scabbard of the sword and stabbed the back of the Enforcer. The Enforcer fell from the air and crashed, allowing Kiryuu's blade to slide completely through, cutting the machine in half. His blade withdrew back into his hand.

_You are almost there…shut down the Monitor…_

"It's not far," said Kiryuu.

"I know you're leading me into a trap," said Jake. "It has to be."

"No," said Kiryuu. "Why would I do that? If I wanted to kill you, I would have already done so."

"Perfect," Jake sighed. _"Tsamsiyu za'u."_

Kiryuu remained silent through most of the trip towards the Control Room. His mind was on King Ghidorah, who kept an ever-festering presence inside him. King Ghidorah kept whispering his bitter sweet, poisonous commands to him, urging him forward. The more he allowed King Ghidorah into his mind, the more he felt his own conscience slip away. King Ghidorah was in control of his movements, making his legs walk, making his eyes see. Kiryuu felt the claws of King Ghidorah fold around his CPU. They clamped down to form a cage.

_What am I doing?_ Kiryuu asked as he watched his cage seal him._ No, let me out! I don not want to play anymore._

_If you wish to survive, then you will do as you are told._

_This is not right._

_There is no right or wrong, there is only you and me. In the end errors of his ways will Jake Sully finally see. Revenge is sweet, is it not?_

_Realizing what is really here, I am glad Jake did what he did! We could have been dealing with something a lot worse if we continued than we did when we faced you on the Ark. For that, I will sacrifice anything._

King Ghidorah bellowed when he heard Kiryuu's defiance. Kiryuu once more attempted to fight control. His feet became heavy and he began to drag his tail. Jake saw the mecha fall back, hearing the sound of metal grating across the floor. Kiryuu fell to his knees. He held his head.

"Kiryuu," Jake asked.

"What is wrong with him?" Waranyu.

"Kiryuu, get up," said Jake. "I want to find the answer. I want to know about this moon, what it's purpose was, about the people who built it. And you're the only one who can give that to me."

Kiryuu lifted his head up and his sad eyes stared back at Jake.

"Kiryuu," said Jake. "You dragged me down here, now you are going to finish what you started."

"I shouldn't have brought you here," he said. "Jake, I will say this now. I can never forgive you for your actions. Your reasoning for betraying your species was not because Quaritch was in the wrong that was just the fuel on the fire. I would have done the same thing for what he did to Grace. Believe me I wanted to stop Malcho from mining this moon, from stealing something from a people who did not deserve it. I know what it is like to have something stolen from me. Look at me, Jake. Humanity took my life away! Then they turned me into this to serve them. They took me away from my son."

"Son," Jake said. "Godzilla? He—he was your son? You mean to tell me that you're really…"

Kiryuu nodded.

"This whole time," Jake said. "You're the original King of the Monsters. The one that attacked Japan and was killed in the 1950s. Those rumors were true."

"My island was ruined by atomic weapons tests, Jake," said Kiryuu. "I know what it is like to have something sacred destroyed in front of my eyes. Which is why I am even angrier with you for your actions. The Na'vi had a just cause, but you—your reason for siding with them was not because of Malcho's destruction to their land. You sided with them because you wanted a piece of alien tail! You did it for her and her only. And for that you betrayed my trust. I sided with Malcho only because of the war. Not for money. You sided with the Na'vi so you could impress your girlfriend."

"Fuck you!" Jake bellowed.

"Angry at me or not, you know the truth," Kiryuu said as he rose up onto his feet. "When I finally saw your reason, I banished any last respect I had for you. Your brother would have…"

"I'm not my brother, damn it!" Jake cried.

"You're right," said Kiryuu. "You are not your brother. He would have tried to resolve the situations for the right reasons and probably handled it a bit better to make both sides come out winners. He even had a sweeter tongue when it came to Malcho than I did."

"I'm sorry I didn't live up to your hard to reach expectations, boss!" Jake spat. "I'm just a grunt, remember? That's what you hired me for, to be the grunt."

"Even grunts know how to use their heads," said Kiryuu. He pointed to his own head. "The one up here." Then he pointed down to his crouch. "Not the one down here. Apparently you used the one down here. And now, because of that, you are about to see what the outcome of that will be."

Kiryuu looked around the dark auditorium they were standing in.

"Monitor," he called. "I am a Reclaimer. Make yourself known to me."

"A Reclaimer?" said a booming, masculine voice from the walls. "Here? So long since I have heard that name. Scanning…"

Kiryuu looked around himself just as a blue light scanned over him.

"You are not a Reclaimer," said the voice. "You are a construct."

"I'm still a Technomancer," said Kiryuu.

"Your mind has touched Mendicant Bias," said the voice. "I since a piece of him inside of you. He is a traitor."

"Is that Eywa?" asked Jake.

"Yes," said Kiryuu. "You were expecting a female Monitor?"

"They referred to it as a her," said Jake.

"All Monitor voices are masculine," said the voice. "I am known as 20134 E.Y.W.A, the Monitor of Shield Installation 5623."

"An acronym?" Jake asked. "Eywa is an acronym?"

"My designation is unpronounceable to your tongue," said the Monitor. A blinding blue spotlight turned on and shined on the group. Kiryuu squinted his eyes and saw that the light came from a single optic encased inside a spherical shape that was suspended on a track in the ceiling. The spherical, metallic shape was the similar shape that 343 Guilty Spark had. Only it was much larger. The Monitor released the clamps and descended down, suspended in a gravity field. Eywa floated towards the group. Kiryuu's eyes widened when he saw the familiar glow of the Connection cords growing out from the back of the Monitor and connecting to the systems of the Control Room.

"Your structure is both identical to the now indigenous sentient species of this Installation and similar to that of a Reclaimer," said Ewya to Jake. "I am confused as to why this is."

"He is an Avatar," said Kiryuu. "They are beings cloned from the Na'vi DNA and Human DNA to allow humans to walk on Pandora. I created them."

"Magnificent integration," said the Monitor. "Though with the primitive way you have done it. Why are you here? And why do I sense Bias on you?"

"Mendicant Bias has atoned for what he has done," said Kiryuu. "He lead the Children back to the Ark."

"They are safe?" Eywa asked. "They were here and they were excavating in areas where potential Flood contamination was eminent."

"That was 30 years ago," said Kiryuu.

"Thank the Makers that they are safe once more," said Eywa. "I did not wish to command all bioforms on the installation to attack them, but I had no choice. It was the only way to make them leave so that they would not risk contamination."

"I understand," said Kiryuu. "It seemed a valid reason. Unfortunately, the Flood did escape on one of the Installations—the Fortress Worlds we call Halos."

"Who let them escape?" asked Eywa.

"A group of aliens known as the Covenant," said Kiryuu. "They were interested in finding Forerunner technology. Apparently, they delved into areas they were not supposed to go."

"It is unfortunate," said the Monitor. "Which Installation?"

"04 and 05," said Kiryuu.

"05 has always been poorly maintained," said Eywa. "Which is why a Compound Mind was formed there."

"We call it a Gravemind," said Kiryuu. "However, I know who Gravemind is. He is a larval form of King Ghidorah—the Hydra."

"I am well informed of that information, Construct," said Eywa.

Kiryuu looked back at Jake: "Believe me now?"

"I suppose I might as well give up and say you were right, Kiryuu," Jake sighed, disillusioned. "Eywa is real, but she—I mean he is a giant floating disco ball."

"I do not approve of this nomenclature," said the Monitor. "I am…"

"Eywa," said Jake. "I know."

"If you wish to refer me as thus."

Jake sauntered away. He looked back at his warriors who were just staring at the Monitor with confusion. They were not sure if they should bow and sing their praises or be repulsed. However, they knew that no one would believe them if they said anything about it. So, they figured it was better that they did not tell anyone about this.

"You've made your point, Kiryuu," said Jake. "I believe you. This world isn't real. It's some sort of scientific base that a bunch of aliens built several thousands of years ago. Regardless of that, it still belongs to the Na'vi."

"Incorrect," said the Monitor. "This Installation now belongs to the Reclaimers. It is their duty to continue in the footsteps of the Forerunners. I am here to aid them in this progress, inform them of where the Forerunners left in their attempts to rid the galaxy of Flood and to inform them how to properly use this Installation. If the Reclaimers will return and come to me, I will gladly speak to them."

"This moon belongs to the Humans?" asked Jake.

"It has always belonged to them," said Kiryuu.

"They were using this facility incorrectly," said Eywa. "The Reclaimers must be properly tutored. Construct, inform your makers, the Reclaimers. They are welcomed to return to my Installation and finish what their forefathers started."

"Not fire the Fortress Worlds?" Kiryuu asked.

"Those installations are only a last resort method if no other conclusion can be assessed through more conventional means," said Eywa. "They should never be bothered with unless need to."

"Unfortunately," Kiryuu said. "Those Installations are completely out of commission. One has been destroyed, while the remote access, Installation 00 has been completely decimated. The Array can no longer be used."

"Unfortunate," said Eywa. "Then, the Reclaimers must use my Installation and others like it to find a permanent solution to the Flood. There is no other recourse."

Kiryuu turned his attention to Jake.

"Satisfied?" he asked.

"So there's more of these Shield Worlds out there?" Jake asked.

"Many more," said the Monitor.

_I grow impatient!_

Kiryuu growled and shook his head. Once more the conscience of King Ghidorah was warring with his own. Unfortunately, the Hydra was winning again.

"Monitor, how would you suggest that the Reclaimers go about finding a solution?" he asked the Monitor.

"This Installation is designed to allow a minimum release of the Flood," said the Monitor. "Enough to study them and how they infect the various life forms of this world and take samples for the solution."

"Could we get a demonstration?" Kiryuu asked, a crooked smile growing across his lips.

_Yes, do it!_

"What?" Jake asked, looking back at Kiryuu with a horrified expression. "No! Is this what you planned on doing?"

"I am afraid that is impossible at this time," said the Monitor. "Only a Reclaimer can give me that order. You are not a Reclaimer, Construct. It is logical to have a team of Reclaimer scientists stationed in the interior to begin study. There is no such team here at this time. If you would return to your world and bring a team, we can begin the study immediately."

"I see," said Kiryuu. "Too bad. Then, I must attempt another way."

He whipped out his glowing Technomantic cords and attached them to the bottom of the spherical Monitor. The Monitor suddenly jerked backwards at the powerful jolt Kiryuu was sending through the cords. Jake and his warriors leapt out of the way as the Monitor began to fire its central optic laser at Kiryuu. Kiryuu braced himself, allowing the beam to impact upon his shields.

"What are you doing?" Jake cried. "Kiryuu, stop it!"

Kiryuu refused to answer, sending another wave of energy through the cords into the Monitor. The lights in the Control Room began to flicker.

"I should have known you were Rampant, Construct!" said Eywa. "Just like Mendicant Bias. You have fallen to the whims of the Compound Mind as well."

"What?" Jake asked. "What does Eywa mean by that? Kiryuu?"

Kiryuu launched into the air and landed on the top of the sphere. The Monitor spun out of control, firing its beam every which way. Several smaller Sentinels appeared through several access ports. They fired their beams at the Na'vi. Jake brought out his bow and arrow. He shot one of the Sentinels with the arrow. The thick shaft passed through and the Sentinel fell to the ground. The other Na'vi warriors followed his actions and also fired their arrows at the other Sentinels. Kiryuu slammed his metallic claw into the Monitor's casing and sliced through the metal. He pulled it away and sent a bladed tentacle through to the circuitry, stabbing all the way down to the bottom. Then, he leapt off, slicing the Monitor in half. Kiryuu then sent his cords into the system and began to allow his CPU to meld with the Installation's command center. The Sentinels stopped their attack and dropped from the air. Jake looked back at Kiryuu and then to the shattered casing of what was known to the Na'vi as Eywa.

"So much for your all-seeing, all-knowing deity," said Kiryuu with a deep chuckle. His voice suddenly became even deeper and unholy. _"I have defied gods and demons."_

"Kiryuu?" Jake asked.

"_Let the Floodgate swing open wide," _Kiryuu said as he placed his hand on the console. _"Let the water wash away all the sorrow. The Na'vi will find themselves pushed aside for a greater and better tomorrow. There will be nowhere they can hide."_

_No!_

He turned to face Jake, a maddening grin twisting his face into something horribly unnatural. Kiryuu's eyes were glowing bloody red. His grey scales had a golden sheen to them. Jake knew that voice all too well. It was the voice of King Ghidorah, speaking through Kiryuu again.

"Kiryuu!" he shouted. He rushed for Kiryuu, his knife drawn again. Kiryuu swing around, knocking Jake down with his tail. He placed his hand on the console again and a holographic screen appeared over the central pedestal. Jake lifted up and then smelled the air, catching a fowl scent. It smelled like a mixture of rotten vegetables and sewage. He turned his head and saw several balloon-like jellyfish with spidery legs scuttle towards the Na'vi.

"_Olo'eytkan!"_ called Waranyu. _"Peu fayswiräti?"_

"_Oe si ke omum," _said Jake.

One of them leapt onto one of the other Na'vi warriors and he began to scream in pain as it bit into his neck. The creature burrowed into the neck of the warrior and pushed his head to the side, breaking his neck. Three pink feelers grew out from the neck as a greenish carapace formed over his blue skin. His right hand lengthened to form into several long tentacles. The same thing happened to the other Na'vi Warriors. The queue on the Na'vi's neck formed into several tentacles as well, sprouting and writhing all around the bent neck. The blue skin turned to sickly brown as the Flood continued to mutate him. The tail grew longer, and barbs grew out from it. The same thing happened to the others as well as they were painfully contorted and transformed into Na'vi Combat Forms. Now, only Jake remained.

"_Your life, I will spare," _said King Ghidorah through Kiryuu. _"So that you may watch with anticipated care. This world that you would die for, the love that you have coveted for yourself, shall meet with Death's cold stare. A new world I will build from the ashes of the old. A new story will be told. This moon will be my rebirth and like a phoenix, from beyond the grave I will rise."_

"No!" Jake cried. Kiryuu pinned him down with his foot.

The new Flood Combat Forms scurried off towards the opening where the former riders had left their _ikran._ More Infection Forms followed them, hoping to then infect the Mountain Banshees. In the holographic screen, Jake focused his eyes upon the world of Pandora. He watched in horror as more newly created Combat Forms encircled the Tree of Souls. The tree itself began to dim it's lovely glow, its wondrous light being doused by the hideous darkness. Then, the tree fell forward, crashing down onto the chasm floor.

"No!" Jake cried again.

The glow of the forest also dimmed and fell dark as tree after tree began to die. They soon toppled and withered away into nothing but dust on the planet's surface. The ugly rock of the planet became exposed. Then, another image appeared. It was the new Hometree. As he watched, several openings appeared at its base as hordes of Infection Forms scuttled into the home of the Omaticaya Clan. He watched with baleful sorrow as the Omaticaya screamed, being transformed into the grotesque Flood Combat Forms. The tree itself started to shed it's leaves, signaling its death. He turned back to Kiryuu, who had a satisfied smirk on his face. Though Jake knew that was not Kiryuu smiling, it was King Ghidorah. Kiryuu had not led him here, it was King Ghidorah.

"_Your clan is through," _said King Ghidorah. _"Now your world I shall also destroy."_

All Jake and even Kiryuu from within the cage of his mind could only watch. From within his CPU, Kiryuu felt the squeeze of King Ghidorah again.

"_Your mind is weak," _said King Ghidorah. _"It has always been."_

Kiryuu cried out in pain as he struggled against King Ghidorah's hold. Though it was fruitless. There was nothing he could do about it. King Ghidorah stretched him out and then smashed him together. Kiryuu was thrown against the walls of his CPU. He was shattered into a million pieces. Then King Ghidorah put him back together so he could break him again. Over and over, King Ghidorah needed Kiryuu like dough, squishing him and pulling him.

"_I will make you pay for your sin!"_ King Ghidorah bellowed again. _"Both will suffer from my power."_

Hours had passed and already the surface of Pandora had become covered in Flood biomass. The Flood had taken over all forms of life on the moon, including the animals. Jake still remained pinned under Kiryuu's foot. King Ghidorah forced Kiryuu to press down even harder on Jake's sternum and he felt his ribcage begin to crack. Blood spurted out of his mouth and he suddenly found it difficult to breathe.

"Do whatever you want to me!" Jake cried. "But just end the suffering!"

He watched from the safety of the Control Room his beloved wife Neytiri transformed into a Flood Combat Form. His son was also soon turned. The Na'vi tried to fight back with their poisonous tipped arrows, but the Flood were not phased. Waves after waves of Flood continued to ravage the land. The destruction would not stop. King Ghidorah was not utterly satisfied until all traces of what the lovely green on the tropical moon died.

As the Flood continued to accumulate the necessary biomass, King Ghidorah was accumulating the souls of the Na'vi. Their song became twisted and as a note of discord rang through their melodies. The song of the Flood tainted the Na'vi's voices. The Flood crawled around beneath their skins, breaking through to contort their bodies and contaminate their minds. There was no place they could hide, no where to run as well. Flood Combat Forms riding on Flood mutated direhorses and _ikran _overtook the other clans. One by one, the Na'vi clans fell. Nothing was safe, nothing was sacred. The planet was devastated.

Kiryuu finally turned back to Jake Sully while the chaos on the surface continued. He leaned down and took the once proud Omaticaya Clan Chieftain by the throat and held him up.

"_I am a monument to all your sins," _he said as several syntech blades began to form around Jake. _"I shall be your Last Shadow as well. It is in darkness your life finally ends and to Kiryuu will you say: 'farewell'."_

Jake's eyes widened when he felt something pierce through his stomach. He looked down to find Kiryuu's blade sliding its way through, piercing out the other side. Kiryuu twisted the blade, gouging Jake's intestines. The other blades rose up and began to slice all around Jake Sully. They tore his skin, they dismembered his limbs, and finally, they took his head. Kiryuu let the body drop into the slick puddle of its own blood. From within, Kiryuu felt the presence of King Ghidorah leave him. His eyes cleared and he looked down. Kiryuu saw the blood dripping from his tentacles, blood splashed upon his silvery armor.

"God, what have I done?" he asked in horror. He looked back at the screens where he saw Pandora, now a changed world. The Flood had conquered it in just a day. "No. What have I done?"

_What you meant to do. What we mean to do. This was your promise to me._

"I didn't promise this!" said Kiryuu. "I only wanted to show Jake what this world really is. I showed him that!"

_You would not have been able to defeat the Monitor without my help._

"I didn't want this," said Kiryuu.

_You will learn your place!_

Kiryuu bellowed in pain again, holding his head with his hands. He leaned against the console of the Control Room and began to sob silently. This evil was his fault. He only wanted to teach Jake Sully a lesson. He did not want to kill the Na'vi as well. King Ghidorah had won and Kiryuu had lost. Kiryuu, mentally defeated, slid from the console and curled up into a fetal position. He accepted defeat and shut his eyes. Inside his CPU, he began to run a program—a worm. The worm itself was design to slowly eat away at his CPU piece-by-piece, line-by-line, until there was nothing left. It was the most efficient way to finally end his misery. The worm was a computerized form of arsenic. He had learned his place. Immortality was overrated. Over the centuries, Kiryuu had seen his closest friends die before his eyes. He thought of Will Penter, of Gordon Knight, and especially of Katsura Yugami. He thought of Maria Vasquez and of Mike Ginsberg and Tochi Yumara. He thought of Manda and of Malcho and Lofwyr, and of course Dunkelzahn, but the worm began to eat its way into his memories. The final thing he recalled was the one he held most dear. His son Godzilla. He regretted abandoning him. He recalled a song that the very first synthesized voice had ever sung in 1964. It came from an IBM 7094. In his sullen and deluded state, Kiryuu wanted to sing it.

"Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do," he began in a sob. "I'm half crazy over the love of you. It won't be a stylish marriage if I can't afford a carriage. But you'd look sweet upon the seat of a bicycle built for two…"

His voice trailed off, echoing through the dimly lit corridors. As he shut his eyes, he heard the sounds of far off voices coming towards the Control Room.


End file.
